OSWEGO – In his third common council meeting as mayor of the City of Oswego, Robert Corradino shared his State of the City address. In it, he shared his four main priorities for his first year as mayor.
Corradino’s major focal points lie in infrastructure, economic development, public safety and tourism.
When it comes to infrastructure, he shared a desire to upgrade public facilities like roads, bridges and water systems. He added that improvements should lead to more efficient operation for such items over the long-haul.
Economically speaking, Corradino sees grants as a vital way to develop Oswego. He mentioned hiring a grant writer for the city to assist in acquiring funding.
Corradino also addressed infrastructure that can help the city police and fire departments maintain the public’s safety, investments like infrared drones that identify strong points of potential fires in buildings.
The final point, tourism, can be strengthened through TV ads to promote the city and a wide range of events hosted by it.
Prior to sharing his priorities, Corradino thanked former mayor, Billy Barlow, who served for two terms. Corradino worked with Barlow in the common council during his time as counselor of the seventh ward.
Corradino’s State of the City address can be read in full below or seen on the City of Oswego’s YouTube channel. The next Common Council meeting will be on Tuesday, February 20. To view the full agenda for Monday, February 12, please click here.
missing or outdated ad configMy fellow Oswegonians,
It is my honor and privilege to serve as your mayor and to present to you my first state of our city address for 2024. At this time, I want to reflect on the progress we have made and the challenges we still face in our community. There is a renewed sense of pride with all the improvements and changes that have happened in the last few years. City services are being maintained, property taxes have been stable, the city’s General Fund balance is very healthy, new businesses are opening, our downtown is thriving, neighborhoods are improving, and many people see Oswego as a place to move to or visit because of all the exciting and fun things to do in our city. I’m confident when I say that Oswego is going in the right direction and the state of our city is strong!
First, I want to thank my predecessor, Billy Barlow, for his leadership and vision that helped transform Oswego into a vibrant and thriving community. Under his administration, Oswego saw unprecedented investments in infrastructure, downtown revitalization, waterfront development, historic preservation, and quality of life improvements. Along with the Common Council, he also kept our taxes low and our finances stable, while delivering efficient and effective services to our residents and businesses.
I am proud to continue to build on this foundation, but first let me recap some of the noteworthy accomplishments in 2023 before we look at 2024:
- Completed the 12th and final Downtown Revitalization Initiative project when the Splash Indoor Water Park opened in July. Our community was one of several that were picked in 2016, the first year of the DRI program, and the first to complete all of the projects.
- Opening of the new $10 million William S. Cahill Pier
- Upgraded the Sheldon Beach Park with a new parking lot and other amenities
- Created the Rotary Park Playground on East First Street
- Splash Car Wash Express opened on 104 East
- Attracted new businesses, Texas Roadhouse & Hobby Lobby
- Purchased and installed a new state of the art drone system that will respond to emergency situations faster than the previous system
- Created a new Advisory Committee with the Port Authority to create open lines of communication to discuss issues and plans that affect our community
- Paved over 1 million dollars of roads
- Passed a 7th consecutive budget without an increase in property taxes
What a year 2023 was! Now for this year.
In my first year as mayor, I plan to focus on four main priorities: infrastructure, economic development, public safety and tourism.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is the backbone of our city. We need to maintain and upgrade our roads, bridges, sidewalks, water and sewer systems, and public facilities. Upgrades and investments to our two waste water plants and the west side fresh water treatment facility will guarantee that they will operate efficiently and safely for years to come. In January, we began a $ 25.6 million dollar Energy Performance contract with Siemens that will reduce energy costs and increase revenues. The contract entails energy upgrades to city owned buildings, replacing city street lights with LED fixtures and improvements to our High dam facility. Those improvements to the high dam will allow the city to sell power on the retail market, which is more lucrative than the current wholesale market we sell to now. We will also see additional revenues from the sale of Renewable Energy Certificates we earn with our hydroelectric producing facility. High Dam upgrades will create a revenue stream that current and future generations will benefit from for years to come.
Two weeks ago, we finalized the purchase of the old Shapiro Automotive property on West First Street. The plan is to someday replace the current police station that has out grown its current home of more than 40 years. The building has become too small and inadequate for today’s first responders and that will only get worse as time goes on. A modern, safe, efficient police station will provide our city with a state of the art facility that will serve our community for generations. I have also requested that we include community rooms in the design of the building that could be used by citizens young and old. This is something I heard we needed from residents on the campaign trail this past year and I believe it will be a great addition to this building.
We received a $ 2.5 million dollar grant from the state of New York to rehabilitate the West First Street corridor from Utica Street to Ellen Street. The work will include complete removal of the asphalt, adding new drainage pipes, installing new vehicle and pedestrian crossing signals and lights at West Utica Street and Erie Street and adding additional on-street parking. This project will not only improve an important gateway to our city but will create a safe road and smoother ride for residents who travel on this stretch of road daily. This project is in addition to our annual spring paving program where we will pave approximately $1 million dollars of city streets.
In the past 8 years we have invested millions of dollars in our Department of Public Works in new equipment which replaced old and often broken down machines to provide the high level of services that our residents expect and deserve. The DPW employees work very hard and we will continue to provide reliable equipment for them to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible.
Economic Development
Economic development is the engine of our city. We need to attract and retain businesses, create jobs, increase our tax base and secure grants. That is why I have hired a grant writer to assist our Economic Development office to look for and to apply for those funds. Oswego has garnered millions of dollars in grants in recent years for infrastructure enhancements, parks, and for programs that provide incentives, grants, loans, and services to help our existing and new businesses grow and prosper. Obtaining grants is critical to our continued success and I intend to aggressively pursue them. Just this past week, we received confirmation that we will receive millions of dollars for the improvements to the high dam and waste water facilities, which is very good news that we hope to duplicate many times in the future. The Economic Development office will continue to support and encourage new and old businesses to prosper in Oswego. Programs like a revolving loan program that helps a new business locate or a current business to expand in our community which results in the creation of jobs and provides added incentives for our younger citizens to stay local.
With economic development in mind, The City of Oswego’s Department of Assessment is nearing completion of its Assessment Equity Update Project, or citywide revaluation of its approximately 7,000 individual parcels. This process began in 2022 and included extensive data collection and verification by City staff, staff of the NYS Office of Real Property Tax Services, and representatives of GAR Associates, an independent appraisal and consulting firm with over 50 years of experience working with municipal clients. A citywide revaluation, which hasn’t been completed in over 25 years, will bring fair and equitable determinations of value to ensure that all property owners are responsible for their fair share of property taxes, not too much or too little. As of 2023, the City of Oswego had a total assessed value of approximately $1.35 billion. Of that total value, approximately $450 million was wholly exempt from property taxes. Wholly exempt parcels include those related to government, education, faith, certain healthcare and housing, as well as other nonprofit uses.
As we conclude the revaluation project, it’s important for individuals to understand that an increase in the assessed value of property resulting from this process does not necessarily mean there will be an increase in the amount of taxes that are collected. To assist property owners in understanding the impact the new assessment will have on their property taxes, GAR will be mailing Assessment Disclosure Notices no later than March 1, which will include the preliminary 2024 assessment, as well as an estimate of what the prior year’s property taxes would have been if the new assessments had been in place for the 2023 assessment roll. This will help to clarify the actual impact the change in assessment will have on each individual owner’s property taxes.
Additionally, during the months of March and April, GAR will hold informal meetings for individual property owners to review and discuss preliminary assessments, providing an opportunity to voice concerns and share information that may impact an assessment without the necessity of filing a formal grievance. However, for those who still wish to file a grievance after the Tentative Assessment Roll is filed on May 1, the Board of Assessment Review will meet to consider those requests as it always does, during the end of May, with the Final Assessment Roll being filed on July 1. City Assessor Kevin Hill is always available to discuss the revaluation project, an individual property assessment, or any other function of the Assessment Office with property owners. Fair and equitable determinations of property values are not only good for our residents but will absolutely be a catalyst to attract new residents and businesses to Oswego.
Public Safety
Public safety is high priority for our city. We need to protect and serve our citizens, prevent and reduce crime, and enhance our quality of life. That is why we have invested in our police and fire departments, by hiring new officers and firefighters, purchasing new equipment and vehicles, and developing plans to build a new police station. Community policing strategies, such as neighborhood engagement teams, bike patrols, and quality of life programs to foster trust and cooperation between our police and our residents, is essential.
We now have a mental health counselor that will assist our officers in those cases where it is appropriate. The homeless population in our community is a challenge and we will continue to work with our community partners to search out solutions. This not just an Oswego problem but an issue that many cities in America are facing, but we will not ignore it going forward.
Our new enhanced drone program has assisted our police and fire personnel to respond more quickly and efficiently. Drones have been used by the fire department to help put out fires faster and safer by directing the flow of water where it is needed, by the use of infrared camera technology. The police have used drones to patrol our river front and to help locate suspects during an arrest, saving time, manpower and resources. Drones have become an essential tool in keeping our residents safe and our community is leading the way with this program.
Tourism
Tourism is becoming a big part of our community with all the year round events and natural resources we offer and we need to promote it. Last year, the Common Council approved $100,000 for TV ads in 2024 to showcase all that Oswego has to offer to prospective visitors. We recently re-activated the official City of Oswego Facebook page that will be used to highlight our events and activities that make our city special. We will be creating virtual video tour content for our web site, social media outlets and for Google searchers. Oswego has much to be proud off and we should share that with the world any way we can.
Speaking of events, I know many people are wondering what city sponsored events will be happening in 2024.
Here is a list of what you can expect:
- Eclipse Block party will occur Sunday April 7th on West First Street
- Tiki Boat Sunset Tours – Online reservation system will open on April 15th
- Veteran’s Stage Summer Concert Series
- Market Street Square Concert Series
- Sunset Concert Series at Breitbeck Park
- Independence Day Parade, block party and fireworks
- Creepy Crawl in October
- Annual Tree Lighting and fireworks
- Oswego City County Youth Bureau will produce many events throughout the year.
These events are planned and produced by Community Development office personnel along with the assistance of DPW.
In addition to city events, here are some of the other events happening this year in our community:
- Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival in May
- Farmer’s Market
- Lighthouse Boat Tours
- Oswego Paddlefest in July
- Harborfest – July
- Porchfest – September
- PumpkinFest – September
- Oswego Speedway
- Hockey Tournaments
- Softball and Baseball tournaments at Legends Athletic Complex
Speaking about places to see in Oswego, the beautiful Cahill Pier project is finished and we had the ribbon cutting event last August. The pier attracts locals and visitors alike who are enjoying breath taking views of our waterfront.
Currently, we are looking into the construction of a building that would include a restaurant, located on the pier. A facility such as this would enhance this waterfront area for boaters and residents alike. What a great venue to have dinner or drinks while experiencing one of Oswego’s famous sunsets! We are now reviewing plans for the building with a local architect and looking for additional grant funding opportunities for future construction. I will keep everyone informed as more details become available on the progress of this plan.
With all these things happening in Oswego, we are certainly living up to our tag line: Year Round Destination of Fun. In addition, tourism is an important component to a financially healthy Oswego as it contributes to our sales tax revenue, which aids in our efforts to keep taxes affordable.
These are some of the accomplishments we have achieved and the initiatives we will launch in 2024. All of the past success didn’t happen without the hard working employees of the city and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated work force and I thank them for their service each and every day.
But we are not done yet. We have more work to do and more goals to pursue. For instance, we have to seize the opportunities that the building of the Micron plant presents us. Downtown Oswego is about 35 minutes from the proposed Micron facility and our community is in a great position to attract new visitors or residents that will arrive in our region. All the work we have accomplished in the last 8 years on infrastructure, parks and quality of life initiatives will make our community stand out among other places in our region. I’m looking forward to sharing all Oswego has to offer to businesses and visitors to our community.
The solar eclipse that I mentioned earlier will occur on the afternoon of Monday April 8th and will attract many visitors to our community as we are in the zone of totality, which is the optimal viewing location. The city will be providing safe glasses for viewing the eclipse.
City personnel from police, fire, DPW, tourism and community development have been planning for this event for months along with Oswego County, the State University, School district and community partners. This once in a life time event will have Oswego in the spot light and we are ready to show it off.
In the beginning of this address, I told you that the state of Oswego is strong and moving in the right direction. I firmly believe that, but we have to work together as one city, one community. We have to be bold, innovative, and resilient. We have to be proud of our past, confident in our present, and optimistic about our future.
In closing I would like to express my gratitude to the citizens of Oswego for the opportunity to serve this community, and for their trust and support. Let us all continue to make Oswego a great place to live, work and have fun!
