mayor barlow
OSWEGO – You can accomplish great thing when you work together. That was the message Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow shared Tuesday (August 29).
The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce facilitated a “Meet the Mayor Roundtable” at the new Home2 Suites by Hilton in Oswego.
More than two dozen city officials, business owners, representatives from various community service organizations and others attended.
There’s a huge opportunity for inter-municipal cooperation between Oswego and Fulton as well as the county, the mayor said.
“Knowing what’s available and working together on projects that are a benefit to everyone is what we need to be doing,” he said. “We shouldn’t be competing against each other. There is a strategy to winning more grant money. We need more cooperation.”
It’s so much easier when municipalities work together; things fall into place, he said.
People will see more improvement downtown next year, he said. That will enable the city to focus more of an effort on the revitalization of the waterfront area, he added.
“I am fortunate to have a good Common Council to work with. We have a shared vision for the city,” Mayor Barlow said. “They have been very helpful.”
Mayor Barlow recapped the city’s 2018 spending plan, approved Monday night by the Common Council.
“I proposed a 3.6 percent tax increase. The common Council got it down to 3.48,” the mayor said. “Rather than dip into the city reserves, which repeat the mistake of some previous administrations, I decided to cut some positions at City Hall. Even then, we still had to propose a 3.6 percent increase.”
The city entered into an inter-municipal agreement with Onondaga County to handle purchasing.
The cost is $30,000.
“That really is a difference of about $130,000. In 2017, the Purchasing Department was budgeted for about $167,000,” the mayor explained.
Oswego won’t lose control over its purchasing, the mayor added.
The budget also maintains funding for city events, such as the Fourth of July parade and summer concert series, he said.
It’s really been a struggle trying to catch up on all the deferred maintenance for the city, the mayor pointed out.
“So, we invested last year in the budget to try to catch up on some city equipment – snowplows, dump truck, and so on. We’re doing the same in this budget,” Mayor Barlow said. “Nobody likes a 3.48 percent tax increase. But I think we’ll see a good return over the next few years. I really think we’re moving in the right direction. Unfortunately there is just so much to catch up on with those facilities and equipment. We’re trying to do it as responsibly as we can at a rate we can afford.”
The council was “very supportive” of the budget, the mayor said.
They got in a $40,000 playground for Kingsford Park Elementary School, “which I think is a smart move. That playground has needed work for quite some time,” he said. That was added without going over the 3.6 percent the mayor originally budgeted, he noted.
The DRI program is moving at a faster pace than he anticipated, the mayor said. Some improvements could be in place as soon as next summer, he added.
The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce advances the business and community interests of the region through advocacy, member services and community enhancements. The chamber is a membership organization leading a regional collaboration that builds a vibrant retail/commercial/residential environment through the use of its many resources.
It’s a fully integrated affiliate of CenterState CEO, enabling it to be strong chamber, dedicated to the needs of the Oswego- Fulton community, while bringing the area prominently into the overall growth and success of the region.
www.oswegofultonchamber.com
Here’s a thought, let’s have a mayor-meeting with nothing but private-sector taxpayers who cannot afford food 2/3rds out of the year around here have a go at the mayor & his tax increases & see if they’re just as jolly as the select few around here; I suspect the result will be vastly different. I can say personally you don’t want me attending it!
For $60,000 dollars you think we could get some of the many lights that are out turned on. After all we are paying for them. Half the lights on 481 between St Luke’s and Utica street are out along with on the corner of East first and Utica. If we didn’t have to baby sit the collage students downtown maybe the police could be all around the city, when they see a light out they could report it. Let the collage cops patrol downtown and take care of there own instead of stretching our resources thin. Start replacing workers at the DPW with temporary summer and winter workers with limited benifits as they retire instead of lifetime benifits….many ways to lower taxes. Wait till next year when they raise out sewer and water rates. Mabe someone should look into how much the country club pays for water and sewer. I’m sure they don’t pay sewer rates on all the water they use like the rest of us do…..
Oswego, unlike Fulton, has some resources available to grow the local economy. Of course, like Fulton, the politicians are only concerned about grants and not creating new jobs and tax revenue. Mayor Barlow needs a program that attracts and grows new business. Without a plan, the taxpayers of these two cities are just plugging holes in sinking ships.
If I remember correctly, I was told years ago that the mayor and aldermans voted themselves lifetime medical insurance. If that is true, I would recommend taking that away from them. They are after all still part time temporary employees
Robert, we all make choices. If you’re struggling financially, you need to decide to spend less and earn more. If your vehicle is a pick-up truck, switch to a sub-compact. If you go out to eat, stop it. If you have a cell phone with an expensive data plan, switch. If you have an expensive home, move. If you have guns, sell them. If you have cable TV switch to a cheaper plan. If you haven’t asked for a raise, see the boss. If you don’t clip coupon, start. If you heat un-occupied rooms in the winter, shut their registers/radiators. If you have an expensive hobby, like hunting, drop it. If you buy lottery tickets, stop it. Get rich slowly. If your water heater is set above 105°, turn it down. If you drink alcohol, stop it. Doing the obvious takes guts and common sense.
So if we are so concerned about helping local businesses they why did the city purchase there new snow plows in Syracuse and not give the two local snow plow dealers an opportunity to bid on them.
Shawn the price for the truck and accessories is the same. All are purchased on State bid.
At least Oswego has some future. Fulton is getting a aldis ..big deal. They will employ a half dozen part time employees who will still be on welfare. Nice going Woodard.. You are special….
MR. MAYOR where do you think we the old people on S.S. fix income are going to come up with more tax money, there is a lot of us who cant pay all the taxes now, we are tap out SIR. let me sum it up this way, no more and there aint no more,
re: ariel….”Pick-up trucks, guns, hunting, and alcohol? Sounds more like “an agenda” coming from a condecending liberal than intentional good advice to me.
Ariel, maybe had I knocked-up a bunch of teeny-boppers when I was younger & went on full-blown welfare I would have most of the stuff you describe, as such, I work nearly 80hrs a week & made over $90K last year & I have nothing close to what you say I should be giving up living around here; think about that! We’re taxed so high in this area(and state) that if someone actually dug into it deeply we’d find over 90% of income goes to it!…but not on the welfare, just take a run to a local Walmart this week & you’ll see what I’m talking about; pay attention to what able-bodied takers are paying for the carts of food with! Spare me a life-lesson, I’m way ahead of you on that one!! BTW, can’t sell my guns as I may need them someday should, on the slight chance, the free-ride gets pulled out from under the takers as I may have to defend myself when they try to break-in & steal a stale donut.
Well said Robert. Notice how Ariel also made no mention of Starbucks coffee, fast food, tattoes, I -phones, designer sneakers, street drugs, and concert tickets? Maybe she’s just selectively giving advice to the wrong people.
To the guy complaining about the college…..if it were not for them your taxes would be MUCH higher and there would be fewer jobs in town. Between the students and those of us that work there we spend a lot of money in town (sales tax dollars) that pay for your services.