City gearingup for Flats demo

ONEIDA, N.Y.>> City officials have begun the final steps toward tearing down buyout properties in the Flats.

Councilors voted unanimously on Tuesday to begin pre-buyout asbestos surveys of the approximately 40 properties the city has closed on in the Flats. Abatement will continue on a rolling basis after the original 40 are inspected as the city closes on more properties.

Supervisor John Reinhardt gave his monthly report fromthe county, touching on the county’s recent designation as the 12th healthiest in the state, as well as sales tax improvements for the first quarter of 2017. While state sales tax increased about 2 percent, Madison County’s increased about 8 percent.

The county has also given out two economic development grants in the past cou- ple months after a long dry stretch. The loans went to Empire Farmstead Brewery in Cazenovia and Good Nature Brewing in Hamilton.

Both Reinhardt and Supervisor Joe Magliocca talked about the recent state budget item that awards Madison County an extra $2.5 million in host county payments from the Oneida Indian Nation’ s Yellow Brick Road casino in Chittenango. While 25percent of that will go to the Townof Sullivan, the remainder will be split between the county and municipalities. Madison County will keep $843,000 and split the remaining $843,000 among the towns and villages, with $96,000 going to Oneida.

The payments to the municipalities are based on assessed value, which Magliocca said he agreed to “under duress” because it does not adequately reimburse the hardesthit communities interms of lost property and sales tax.

The “supermajority of that lost sales tax

revenue” comes from SavOns and sales of cigarettes, beer, and other items, Magliocca said, and the “vastmajority of all SavOns that generate that tax revenue are right here” in Oneida. “It has a disproportionate impact on the city.”

He said he would have rather the county included property and sales tax figures into its breakdown, which would have given communities like Oneida and Stock- bridge larger shares of the $843,000. “It’s a fight we need to make a lead priority next year,” he said. Magliocca also talked about how city supervisors and councilors need to work harder on communicating with one another, since they all represent City of Oneida residents. “We’re all working for the same goal.”

He pointed out how supervisors from other Madison County municipalities lead their communities, but the Oneida supervisors have no legislative authority within the city. He feels the county and city need to work to- gether to better tackle issues and share resources. As an example, he noted how last year the city contracted with Oneida County to redraw the ward lines, when Madison County could have done the project instead.

“It’s an untapped resource; we’ve got to get better at it,” he said.

Councilors unanimously adopted Local Law 2 that would create a vacant building registry in the city.

The next common council meeting will be held Tuesday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.