Working together – helping our local businesses and our communities thrive
Recently, I attended two roundtable type events in the 10th District which brought together local businesses and government leaders to talk about how they can work together and help each other grow and prosper. Both were very informative with good conversations and dialogue. As a County Legislator, and a former Mayor of Fayetteville, I know the importance of meetings such as these and I also appreciate the role that Onondaga County plays in the success of our communities.
For the Manlius Business Roundtable, I was glad that I could bring county leaders to share information about available programming and funding. In the picture below, I am with (L to R) Deputy County Executive for Economic Development Robert Petrovich, Assistant Director for Planning Megan Costa, and Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Development Nate Stevens. All three provided valuable insight to attendees and were an integral part of the conversation. They were able to showcase what the county can do to help our local governments and businesses thrive with a bottom up approach and not a top down approach.
I also liked hearing more about the county and state’s vision for the northern part of the 10th District, in relation to the Micron project. This is a huge project that will benefit all of Onondaga County and I am working to make sure the 10th District is in the right spot for further development. Discussions included upgrading our infrastructure (especially sewers) and connecting our three villages and town, the supply chain workforce and how it may bring new companies to our district, and the ongoing road reconstruction on I-481. There was also an interesting discussion about RA vs PUD – restricted agricultural vs planned unit development. It’s important we are part of new housing projects while remaining committed to keeping our green spaces green.
Attending either one or both of the roundtables:
- Town, village and county leaders
- Onondaga County Planning
- Onondaga County Economic Development
- Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency
- New York State Department of Transportation
- CenterState CEO
- Manufacturers Association of Central New York
- Empire State Development
- Onondaga East Chamber
- Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College
- Real estate agents/companies
- Developers
- ESM Schools
- F-M Schools
I really liked hearing from the villages and town on what the big vision for the future is for each of them. It was very enlightening for me and now we must all do our part to move our communities into the future. I’m proud of the county monies I’ve had reinvested in the 10th District since I was elected County Legislator. That includes nearly $1,000,000 in 2024 alone through the county’s Main Street program, which improves the exteriors of local businesses, and nearly $150,000 already this year for work at the Fayetteville Senior Center and sidewalk replacement in the Village of Minoa!
Thank you to Town of Manlius Councilor Katelyn Kriesel for organizing these roundtables, and helping show our community that leaders from both parties can and do work together for the betterment of all who live here.