County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency

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About the County of Oswego IDA:

Mission:

The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency’s mission is to establish and implement sound economic development strategies in order to enhance the economic vitality of Oswego County’s businesses, industries, communities, and citizens, leading to an overall better quality of life.

Key to the Agency’s mission is the creation and retention of job opportunities, diversification and strengthening of Oswego County’s economic base, and developing the local economy in a planned, organized, and environmentally compatible manner.

Goals:

To create new employment opportunities through the attraction of or the creation of new businesses;
To create new employment opportunities through the expansion of existing businesses;
To retain existing employment opportunities;
To enhance and encourage capital investment by new and expanding businesses;
To increase the County’s tax base;
To help stabilize and diversify the County’s local economy;
To help facilitate the development of essential services or businesses generally lacking in the County;
To recognize the importance of the overall multipier economic impacts of projects;
To target financial assistance to key industrial clusters critical to the County’s economy, including manufacturing, health care, education, tourism, energy, and agribusiness;
To support the nuclear industry in Upstate New York through the Upstate Energy Jobs Coalition;
To leverage the greatest level of private and non-IDA financial assistance as possible;
To coordinate efforts to help improve the competitive position of businesses and spur initiatives that help to improve the overall business climate;
To work cooperatively with local governments, economic development partners and school districts to further economic development progress;
To advance Oswego County's economy through regional cooperation and collaboration;
To enhance media and educational outreach initiatives; and
To improve the quality of life in Oswego County.

Objectives:

The issuance of Private Activity Bonds (tax-exempt or taxable bonds) to finance eligible manufacturing and commercial projects. The issuance of Civic Facility Revenue Bonds (tax-exempt or taxable bonds) to finance eligible not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations' projects (subject to authorizing NYS legislation).
To help support and work cooperatively with the Oswego County Civic Facilities Corporation to help finance eligible not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations' projects with Civic Facility Revenue Bonds.
The issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds for pollution control facilities.
The issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds for other projects that are eligible for financing in compliance with federal and NYS legislation.
Providing to eligible and qualified businesses exemptions from real property taxes, sales and use taxes, and mortgage recording taxes consistent with the County of Oswego IDA's Uniform Tax Exemption Policy and in compliance with NYS legislation.
Providing financial assistance to micro-enterprise businesses utilizing the County of Oswego IDA's Micro-Enterprise Economic Development Fund.
Partnering with IDAs and EDOs in CNY to support the CNY REDC's efforts to secure CFA funding and utilize URI funding.
Providing financial assistance to eligible and qualified businesses utilizing the County of Oswego IDA’s PILOT Economic Development Fund and HUD Economic Development Fund.
Utilizing the County of Oswego IDA's General Economic Development Fund to enhance economic development initiatives and strategies.
Providing financial assistance to eligible and qualified businesses utilizing the USDA Intermediary Relending Program (IRP).
Serving as a conduit, as appropriate, to apply for and secure Federal and State government grants and/or loans for economic development projects.
Providing interim financing for eligible and qualified businesses that will be receiving permanent financing through the SBA 504 loan program in cooperation with Operation Oswego County, Inc.
Assisting in acquiring, constructing, and renovating necessary and appropriate real estate, working in cooperation with Operation Oswego County, Inc., to enhance and further economic development, including industrial park properties, incubator facilities, speculative buildings, and sites, etc.
Collecting and distributing PILOT payments to taxing authorities in accordance with the General Municipal Law of the State of New York.
Complying with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) on all projects assisted by the County of Oswego IDA.
Working in partnership with government, education, labor, business and economic development agencies to maximize development potential and sustainability of the economy in Oswego County.
To be in compliance with all reporting and policy requirements specified by the NYS GML, NYS Office of the State Comptroller, NYS ABO and the NYS PAL.

By-Laws:

Amended and Restated By-Laws (Adopted June 28, 2023)

Board of Directors:

The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency has existed since 1973 as a public benefit corporation authorized by the State of New York to function as an economic development and financing authority. The IDA has an administrative services contract with Operation Oswego County, Inc.

Board appointments are made by the Oswego County Legislature. Terms are open ended.

Gary Toth (Chair), Appointed May 14, 1998
Professional Background: Appointed Senior Council Representative for Empire State Regional Council Carpenters; former Journeyman Carpenter with United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Local #747
Nick Canale, Jr. (Vice Chair), Appointed June 13, 2013
Professional Background: President of Canale's Restuarant; Vice President of Canale's Sauce Company; member of Canale's Italian Take Out LLC
Tim Stahl (Secretary/Treasurer), Appointed December 13, 2018
Professional Background: Director of Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism & Planning
Marc Greco, Appointed March 16, 2022
Professional Background: criminal justice instructor at Cayuga Community College; Oswego County Legislator, current chair of the Legislature's Public Safety Committee and current member of the Legislature's Health Committee
Tricia Peter-Clark, Appointed September 15, 2022
Professional Background: President/Chief Executive Officer at ConnextCare; former Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer at ConnextCare.
H. Leonard Schick, Appointed May 11, 2006
Professional Background: retired part-time engineering/technical consultant; retired Manager of Geogrpahic Information System and Electrical Engineer for local utility
Barry Trimble, Appointed December, 2016
Professional Background: Former Managing Member of Eis House LLC, Inc., Village of Mexico; Member of Trimble LLC, Inc., Village of Mexico

Committees:

Governance: Date established: 8/27/2008

Members: Gary Toth (Chair), Nick Canale, Trica Peter-Clark and Marc Greco

Audit: Date established: 8/27/2008

Members: Nick Canale (Chair), Leonard Schick, Barry Trimble, Tim Stahl and Marc Greco

Finance: Date established: 7/12/2010

Members: Leonard Schick (Chair), Trica Peter-Clark, Gary Toth, Tim Stahl and
Barry Trimble

Executive Management:

Austin Wheelock, CEcD
CEO, County of Oswego IDA
Professional Background: CEcD certified through IEDC; serves as Executive Director of Operation Oswego County Inc.; has over 16 years experience in economic development.
Kevin LaMontagne
CFO, County of Oswego IDA
Professional Background: Business Finance Director for Operation Oswego County Inc.; has served as a CFO and has extensive experience in finance and operations at small- to medium-sized family-owned firms, as well as international businesses; former member and past president of the Operation Oswego County Board of Directors.
Bond Counsel
Barclay Damon LLP
General Counsel
Kevin Caraccioli
Caraccioli Law, PLLC

Financial Assistance Programs:

The County of Oswego IDA may provide financial assistance to qualified business applicants in the form of (A) issuance of tax-exempt or taxable revenue bonds, or by participation in straight lease transactions for purposes of conferring real property tax, sales and use tax, and/or mortgage recording tax exemptions or (B) financial assistance to eligible participants from one of the IDA's four Economic Development Funds (EDFs).

(A) Application for Financial Assistance*: used to apply for tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds or tax exemptions. This application is also used to apply for any and all of the state-authorized incentives that an IDA can use to encourage and enhance economic development, including exemptions for real property tax, sales and use tax and/or mortgage recovery tax.

*Application is a fillable pdf. If it opens in a browser window and is not fillable, download the file and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

(B) All of the EDFs are structured whereby debt service or lease payments are deposited into the appropriate and segregated EDF fund account to be available for other eligible businesses. Guidelines vary between funds due to programming requirements.

Application for the IDA Economic Development Fund Program: used to apply for the EDFs listed below.

PILOT EDF: was capitalized from a portion of PILOT payments in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Oswego County Legislature in 2015;
HUD EDF: capitalized from repayments of HUD-funded loans, projects must meet HUD low/mod income requirements to be eligible;

Application for the Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) used to apply for the EDF listed below.

USDA IRP EDF: capitalized from a loan from USDA and matching funds from the IDA

Application for the Micro Enterprise Loan Program (MEP) used to apply for the EDF listed below.

Micro Enterprise EDF: targeted for loans to graduates of the Micro-Enterprise Training Program sponsored by Operation Oswego County, SUNY Oswego and the IDA. A micro-enterprise must employ (5) five or fewer employees. Capitalized from a HUD grant and matching funds from the IDA.

Fee Schedules:

Application for Financial Assistance
Application Fee: $500 Administrative Fee: 0.75 percent of project cost

Application for Economic Development Funds
Application Fee: $100 Administrative Fee: 1.00 percent of financial assistance

Annual Administrative Reporting for S/L Transaction Projects Only
Application Fee: N/A Administrative Fee: $500

Annual Reports:

Performance Measures Reports:

Budget Reports:

2022 Press Releases:

May 25, 2022: County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency to Hold Special Meeting

Policies:

Annual Assessment Policy
Application-Approval Modification Policy
Code of Ethics
Conflict of Interest Policy
Cyber Security Citizens’ Notification Policy
Delinquent Loan Policy
Disposition of Property Guidelines
FOIL Policy
Investment Policy
Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Policy
Mission Statement and Performance Measures
Procurement Policy
Project Approval Policy
Recapture Policy
Sexual Harassment Policy
Solar Project PILOT Deviation Policy
Tax-Exempt Bond Post-Issuance Compliance Policy
Uniform Tax Exempt Policy
Use of Discretionary Funds Policy
Whistleblower Policy and Procedures

In accordance with New York State General Municipal Law article 18-A, the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency was formed on April 25, 1973. Section 911-b constitutes the enabling legislation for the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency.

Section 911-b: County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency:

For the benefit of the County of Oswego and the inhabitants thereof, an industrial development agency, to be known as the COUNTY OF OSWEGO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, is hereby established for the accomplishment of any or all of the purposes specified in title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter. It shall constitute a body corporate and politic, and be perpetual in duration. It shall have the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred by title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter upon industrial development agencies and provided that the exercise of the powers by such agency with respect to the acquisition of real property whether by purchase, condemnation or otherwise, shall be limited to the corporate limits of the county of Oswego, and such agency shall take into consideration the local zoning and planning regulations as well as the regional and local comprehensive land use plans. It shall be organized in a manner prescribed by and be subject to the provisions of title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter. Its members shall be appointed by the governing body of the county of Oswego. The agency, its members, officers and employees and its operations and activities shall in all respects be governed by the provisions of title one of article eighteen-A of this chapter.

IDA Audit Reports:

Contact:

Austin Wheelock, CEcD
CEO, County of Oswego IDA

44 West Bridge Street
Oswego, NY 13126
Tel: (315) 343-1545
Fax: (315) 343-1546
email: ooc@oswegocounty.org

IDA website: www.oswegocountyida.org

“This institution is an equal opportunity provider, and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).”