There may be new life for the closed Birds-Eye plant in Fulton and new jobs for some of its former staff.
A Canadian firm is in talks to buy the plant, according to Fulton Mayor Ron Woodward.
The company is Spire Group Limited. It is based in Toronto, Ontario.
Woodward said he was part of a group that met with an official of the company on Tuesday.
He said Spire Group is interested only in Birds-Eye’s cold storage warehouse.
The company’s website notes that Spire Group operates refrigerated storage warehouses in Canada and Europe. “Everest is currently exploring opportunities within the North American market through acquistion,” its website notes.
Woodward said the company official promised to hire laid-off former Birds-Eye workers for the several dozen positions that will be available.
If the sale is successful, Spire Group will own the entire plant and not just the refrigerated warehouse. A source told Oswego County Today that Birds-Eye’s owner will not sell the plant in pieces.
However, Woodward believes that having the warehouse available may make it more likely that a buyer or renter can be found for the food manufacturing portion of the plant, as a potential manufacturer will not have to take on the cost of the warehouse.
Finding a buyer for the Birds-Eye plant will soften the blow for the city and school district, and taxpayers, as a sale may result in lower taxes on the property but they are likely to be higher than if the plant is empty.
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This is a fantastic start to 2012. Though it may not seem like much to some, this is significant in the fact that Fulton is becoming marketable again to, not only business, but serious and established international business. I predict 2012 will be the year Fulton begins to turn around, but we must all work together to make that happen!
It is okay to be cautious, but always keep the faith in the potential of your future!
Ralph E. Stacy, Jr.
It’s going to take more than a couple dozen jobs to turn Fulton around. Fulton is no longer a city. It is a terrible place to live and getting worse with passing year. The highest taxes outside of New York city. Half the population on some form of public assistance and increasing. Homes that are falling in on themselves. Derelicts wandering around all hours of the day and night. Single family home values that are half the amount of the last apprasial. If people can afford to take the loss on their homes, they are selling and getting out as fast as they can go. Only Century 21 will even list a home in Fulton anymore. The rest of the realtors aren’t even interested. A mayor and city coucil whose soultion to the problems is to say something nice and maybe things will get better. Why would anyone want to live in Fulton?
I agree with Rowdy1. Fulton is a sad city. The town of cicero has more than this city. They do not have business but retail and they are thriving and growing. Maybe the mayor of Fulton should consider disolving the city and become a town or village. May receive tax breaks or grants. Fulton should try for a wegmans , home depot etc. Why should we drive 15 miles or more to another county to shop and give them our tax dollars. There is a Lowes in Oswego, Fulton could use Home Depot….competition is good….There are more stores that would come…more stores more jobs more pride…just saying….
The mayor and city council must consider a moratorium on allowing anymore single family homes falling to rentals. The poor condition of the rentals and the fact that they are now on every block is just killing the single family home owner. Couple that with the highest propertry taxes outside of New York city and they are in a vise and can’t get out. The city must consider moving the fire department to an all volunteer dept. with support from Voleney and Grandby. The city can’t afford to pay those salaries and pensions any longer. The police force should be cut in half for the same reasons. Fulton cannot afford a police and fire force of seventy heads. The tax base is dwindling and the city must begin reducing, combining, and eliminating services.
While the Fulton mayor and city council sleeps; Oswego now has a ten year moratorium on allowing any additional single family homes falling to rentals. Syracuse is now requiring owners of rental properties to bring them into code which requires a twenty five dollar certification fee and an inspection by the cities code inspection office before they can rent to anyone. Owego just disbanded their village police force. Watkins Glenn is now studying the same thing. They can’t afford them and refuse to raise taxes any higher.