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• A progressive approach
to enhancing downtown
www.evesun.com
Published by The Evening Sun
New vision sets the course
for revitalization in Norwich
Matthew White Photo
Construction crews work on the exterior of the building and 42 North Broad in Norwich. Renovations to the property are included in the city's plan to breathe new life into the Heritage Block.
BY SHAWN MAGRATH
Sun Staff Writer
smagrath@evesun.com
NORWICH – In terms of
progress, it’s been a shaky
year for the City of Norwich.
While the city continues to
make headway on several
multi-million dollar projects
that have been years in the
making, 2015 came to a close
with new faces in city leadership, and a budget crisis that
city officials agree left a sour
taste in the mouths of taxpayers.
Undeniably, the story of the
year at the city level took
place in the late months of
2015, when city residents
elected a new mayor to office
and scorned the Common
Council for years of heedless
spending that all but depleted
the city’s financial reserve,
marking Norwich as a city
susceptible to financial stress.
Even so, with cautionary
spending and nose-to-thegrindstone
work
ethic,
brighter days are ahead,
assured newly elected Mayor
Christine Carnrike.
“It’s a new year, a new
mayor, and a renewed mes-
sage where we embrace
progress but never abandon
the quality that made
Norwich a great place to raise
a family,” Carnrike said during her swearing-in ceremony
held New Year’s Day.
Carnrike, a Republican and
daughter of former Mayor
George Carnrike Sr. (elected
1973), was favored among
voters during the September
primary elections. Running
on a platform to “restore the
Norwich
community,”
Carnrike trumped preceeding
Republican Mayor Joseph
Maiurano with 386 votes to
Maiurano’s 195.
But there was hardly time
for a victory lap for Carnrike.
In late September, a report
released by the New York
State Comptroller disclosed
that the city’s fiscal stress
score has worsened over the
last year, sliding from 31.7
percent in 2013 to 49.2 percent in 2014.
The fiscal stress monitoring
system, created by the
Comptroller’s Office in 2013,
is a statewide initiative to
keep municipalities out of the
red. The higher the score on a
fiscal stress report, the more
susceptible a municipality is
to potentially devastating
financial burdens. Scores are
based on financial and environmental factors, including a
municipality’s fund balance,
operating deficit, debt, population, and poverty and unemployment rates.
The latest report targeted
Norwich on three criteria, the
most notable being a low
fund balance (surplus) and
three consecutive years of
deficit spending.
In a September interview
with The Evening Sun,
Carnrike said, “Something
needs to change in vision and
leadership for Norwich to
return to what it used to be.”
“I worry about the future of
the city if myself or someone
else doesn’t step up for
change,” she said. “When you
have a new set of eyes, you
may come up with a better
solution. I may not have all
the answers; but if given the
opportunity, I will do everything I can.”
Unfortunately, issues for
the city only worsened by the
end of the year. Facing a posCONTINUED
ON
PAGE 28
Best of Chenango:
Chenango Blues Fest: Looking ahead to
another year of growth & success
Matthew White Photo
C.J. Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band perfom under the stars during on of the
Chenango Blues Fest/NBT Bank Summer Concert presentations in Norwich's East Park in July
2014. The story appears on page 30.
28
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2016
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN
City of Norwich –
CONTINUED
FROM
PAGE 27
sible double-digit tax
increase for 2016, city officials had a tough choice: cut
spending or cut services.
Given the financial condition of the city, the stateimposed .73 tax cap was an
“unrealistic”
expectation,
according
to
City
Chamberlain John Zielinski.
But after several years of
deficit spending and using
money from its surplus to
ease the tax burden, the city’s
surplus account had dried up
and members of the Common
Council found themselves
between a rock and a hard
place heading into the 2016
fiscal year. Talks of possible
layoffs, mainly in the fire
department, had many city
residents up in arms over
what many said was a lack of
foresight on the city’s behalf.
Ultimately, members of the
Common Council were able
to work a balanced 2016
budget with just a 5.4 percent
increase without any layoffs
(made possible by all city
employees’ forfeiture of a
contracted two percent salary
increase and a number of
concessions made by the
Norwich
Firefighters
Association).
“We are going to start to hit
the
ground
running,”
Carnrike said at her swearing
in ceremony.
Carnrike has vowed to
avoid the same mistakes this
year by starting the budget
process earlier, giving her and
all department heads time to
work the 2017 budget line by
line in order to eliminate
chances of wasteful spending.
“We need to find ways to
continue to provide services,
but we just can’t have continuing escalating expenses,”
she added. “We just have to
start the budget process earlier ... We can make tough
decisions. We must make
them because it will be
impossible to restore our
Norwich community if we’re
not ready, willing, and able to
work hard, and do what’s
necessary to get our fiscal
house in order.”
Of course Norwich’s fiscal
issues overshadow an otherwise progressive year for the
city. City officials are making
strides on a number of projects, from vetting solar power
energy incentives, to the
pending construction of a
new $5 million water filtration facility.
In September, Norwich
received a federal grant that
will allow the city to move
forward with a multi-million
dollar undertaking to replace
the outdated water tank on
Wheeler Avenue at a lesser
cost to taxpayers than predicted. The city secured a
$62,000 grant through the
USDA to pay unexpected
lead abatement costs associated with the water tank
replacement project. A leadbased paint was used to paint
the tank.
The project, initially estimated at $2.7 million, was
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Norwich City Hall.
upped to approximately $3.4
million in early 2015 due
largely to unforeseen costs of
lead abatement and incidental
expenses. The city council
approved up to $780,000 in
additional bonds for the project at a special meeting called
in July, though the goal,
according to Department of
Public Works Superintendent
Carl Ivarson, is to utilize as
little of that money as possible.
Ivarson explained the city
also received a $750,000 federal grant through the USDA
Division
of
Rural
Development in 2014, but
couldn’t use those funds until
other funding became available.
The scope of the water tank
replacement project includes
demolition of the 60-year-old
steel water tank currently in
use. Ivarson said the tank will
remain in use while engineers
construct a new pre-stressed
concrete water tank and control valve vault, storm water
detention basin, and an access
drive from Wheeler Avenue
to the new tank. The new tank
is expected to last the city the
next 100 years.
In conjunction with the
water tank replacement project, the city’s also making
headway on another undertaking to build a new water
filtration plant that will
replace the 111-year-old plant
currently in use on Rexford
Street. That project is in the
final design phase.
There is a chance that both
the new water tank and water
filtration plant could be operable later this year.
The city also took a big
step forward in exploring the
possibility of using solar
technology in 2015. The idea
is to use solar energy to
power municipal buildings
throughout the city.
While not entered into any
official
agreement,
the
Norwich Common Council
passed a resolution in
September authorizing the
mayor to begin negotiations
with SolarCity, an energy
service provider specializing
in solar power technologies.
CONTINUED
ON
PAGE 29
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Success Story
Aflac
Jim Reynolds is beginning his 13th year as an independent agent with Aflac. He
and his wife Rosemarie live in Norwich and have two children. Megan is a senior at
Union College and Shane is a freshman at Ithaca College. Jim enjoys being involved
with the community. He is an officer with the local Knights of Columbus, participates
in the annual Relay for Life, and is VP of Public Relations for the Preferred
Toastmasters Club in Norwich.
Aflac was founded in 1955 by 3 brothers in Columbus, Georgia. Today the same family is still heading the company and Aflac insures more than 50 million people worldwide. It differs from major medical in that they do not pay the doctors or the hospitals,
but rather the claim is paid directly to the policyholders. Reynolds says this gives the
individuals the freedom to use the cash as they see fit. So whether it’s to make up for
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provides security and peace of mind.
For over 5 decades, Aflac’s signature product has been their cancer insurance.
Reynolds, who saw his father pass away from the disease shortly before joining the
Fortune 500 Company, says cancer insurance can help ease the financial burden that
comes with a cancer diagnosis by helping to address the gaps in major medical insurance.
Other plans offered by Aflac include accident, hospital, and short-term disability.
Jim is really excited about a new telemedicine program he is offering through Ally
Health, a company Aflac has recently partnered with. This gives consumers the ability
to consult with doctors 24/7 for non-emergency medical issues, without having to leave
the comfort of their home or office. In most cases the physician is able to diagnose the
ailment over the phone, and call a prescription in to your local pharmacist, thereby saving you time and money.
Reynolds says even the New York Times recently recognized this highly valued commodity.
Jim says he was inspired last year after meeting Jonny Burgess, a very successful
Aflac representative from New Hampshire, at a training event in Syracuse. He taught
people to use the power of the Aflac duck, by referencing the extremely popular TV
commercials that almost everybody has seen. In addition, Jonny introduced himself as
the “Aflac guy”, and Reynolds says “ it struck a chord with me because most people
don’t remember your name anyway.” So Jim has been using that nickname ever since
and having lots of fun and success with it.
The bulk of Aflac’s business is done through a payroll environment whereby employees can enroll in Aflac on a voluntary basis via a company’s benefit package. Some
plans can be purchased on a direct basis too. Reynolds says he joined the company back
in 2004 because he enjoys helping people, and in his opinion and that of his peers the
future looks bright as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare is creating a bigger need
for supplemental insurance.
The groundwork was laid for a successful career when Reynolds worked as a salesman for S&S TV & Appliances. He says he learned from his former boss, Tom Brauer,
how to treat people right. Jim also credits his late father with teaching him a good work
ethic and a “never quit” attitude. To see how Aflac can help you and your family contact Jim Reynolds, the Aflac guy, at 607-316-5731 or j1_reynolds@us.aflac.com.
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PUBLISHED
BY
29
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2016
THE EVENING SUN
Revitalization in Norwich –
CONTINUED
FROM
PAGE 28
SolarCity was the low bidder on a Request for Proposal
(RFP) sent out by the city
back in May to design, build,
finance, and provide a solar
system to be utilized by the
City of Norwich.
The resolution further
allowed the mayor to chase
after grant funds offered
through the New York State
Energy
Research
and
Development
Authority
(NYSERDA). NYSERDA
incentives would help offset
costs of constructing a solar
site and contracting with a
private solar industry, such as
SolarCity.
Electricity generated at the
solar site would go on the
power grid, and the city
would receive a credit for
every watt that’s generated.
That credit could then be
used to lower costs of electricity on municipal buildings, including city hall, the
Norwich Police Department,
the city DPW, and the fire
department.
In total, the city could save
as much as $94,000 annually,
according to estimates from
SolarCity. Moreover, it would
stabilize future energy supply
costs and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.
Details of the project are
still in the works.
Developments are also
being made on the Heritage
Block project, an undertaking
that uses a combination of
state, local and private invest-
ments to breathe new life into
an historical downtown area.
Plans to rejuvenate a part of
the city known as the
Heritage Block have been
underway since 2013. The
Heritage Block project is an
initiative to assist private
developers in the restoration
of run-down properties at 42
and 44-46 North Broad St.,
and
15
and
17-19
Lackawanna Ave. The project
also includes design and renovation of the parking lot
shared by said properties, as
well as other properties at 812 Mechanic St. and 38-40 N.
Broad St.
Last year, the Norwich
Common Council moved to
use state grant funds from
multiple sources to pay
administration fees to Shelter
Planning and Development,
Inc., a community development service based in
Queensbury, NY. The agency
was contracted by city officials in 2014 to apply for a
series state grants which were
awarded to the city later that
year.
Shelter Planning was successful in being awarded
three grants on behalf of the
City of Norwich to help
leverage investments from
two private developers in the
Heritage Block: Hercules
Properties LLC (proprietor of
42 and 44-46 N. Broad) and
The Hayworth Management
Company (proprietor of 15
and 17-19 Lackawanna Ave.).
The New York Main Street
grant program through the
NYS Office of Community
Renewal awarded $250,000
for facade and building renovations;
and
another
$120,000 was awarded
through
Empire
State
Development.
The third and final grant,
awarded through the NY
Environmental
Facilities
Corporation, will be used for
an overhaul of the Heritage
Block shared parking lot
which conjoins Lackawanna
Avenue on the south side with
Mechanic Street on the north
side. More than simply
repaving the parking lot, the
$534,000 grant will pay for
green infrastructure that will
prevent water runoff and
allow rainwater to absorb into
the ground.
All three grants were bundled in $904,000 grant package awarded to the City of
Norwich in the fourth round
of the Regional Economic
Development Council in
2014.
Grant application and
administration fees paid to
Shelter Planning will be
taken from all three grants
that were awarded.
When engineering plans
are complete, the city will put
the parking lot refurbishing
project out to bid. Hopes are
to start construction later this
year. Many of the renovations
to the buildings on North
Broad could be completed by
spring.
All in all, 2016 looks to
pick up where 2015 left off,
with ongoing projects and
expectations of reordering the
city’s financial position.
Said Mayor Carnrike,
“Local government officials
and residents will need to
work collaboratively and
innovatively at these municipal challenges in order to
reverse the apparent neglect
and condition of many of
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30
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2016
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN
Chenango Blues Fest: Looking ahead to another
year of growth & success
BY MATTHEW WHITE
Sun Staff Writer
mwhite@evesun.com
NORWICH – Chenango
County continues to offer a
gamut of music and arts programming to the masses, but
by far the most recognizable,
and arguable the quintessential among them is the
Chenango Blues Festival
which is poised to put on its
best weekend to date in the 23
years since its inception.
From its humble beginnings, the Blues Fest that our
community has grown to love
has consistently built the successes of its erstwhile offerings.
Made possible with generous amounts of sweat from a
core group of steady-handed
die-hards—earnestly known
as the Chenango Blues
Association—and dedicated
corporate sponsors the likes
of NBT Bank of Norwich and
Preferred Mutual Insurance
Company, the Chenango
Blues Festival is here to stay
and shows no sign of slowing
down.
In keeping with its lineage
continued success, Chenango
County's Blues Association,
the nonprofit organization
responsible for bringing the
Annual Chenango Blues Fest
online in 1993 – was recently
notified that the Fest had been
selected by the Blues
Foundation to receive its top
honor in December of 2015.
“It really came out of
nowhere for us; we didn't
apply for anything – we kind
of just received a phone call
one day and that was that,”
said
Chenango
Blues
Association (CBA) President
Eric Larsen.
While unexpected, Larsen
along with some other representative from the association
are jumping at the opportunity to receive the accolade, and
will head south to Memphis,
Tenn. For the award ceremony that just so happens to
coincide with the 32nd
International Blues Challenge
– beginning January 27 and
featuring the final rounds of
the world's largest and most
prestigious blues music competition.
“We've never had the
opportunity to attend the
Blues Challenge—something
I've always wanted to do—
but now we have a perfect
excuse to go down and actually be a part of it,” said
blues music. The KBA, as
well as seminars, showcases,
and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.
What's more, this year (for
“It really came out of nowhere
for us; we didn't apply for
anything – we kind of just
received a phone call one day
and that was that.”
ERIC LARSEN
PRESIDENT, CHENANGO BLUES
ASSOCIATION
Larsen.
The Blues Foundation honored 15 individuals and
organizations (including the
Chenango Blues Fest) with
its 2016 Keeping the Blues
Alive (KBA) Awards during a
recognition ceremony in
January of 2016.
Each year, The Blues
Foundation presents the KBA
Awards to individuals and
organizations that have made
significant contributions to
“Where Art Empowers.”
the first time ever) the Blues
Foundation board eliminated
a number of KBA categories
as a way for the Committee to
honor individuals who have
excelled in a variety of KBA
categories, according to KBA
Committee Chairman Art
Tipaldi “Thus the slate of 15
winners includes individuals
who have made a difference
with their lengthy commitments to the blues,” said
Tipaldi.
According to Larsen, the
model for the CBA's success
is incremental growth over
time. What started out as a
much smaller affair with
merely four acts in its first
incarnation has morphed into
a two-day full on Festival
complete with dozens of vendors, professional sound
engineering and onsite camping for the more than 3,000
locals and out-of-towners that
came from as far as Atlanta,
Ga. In 2015.
The
only
Challenge
according
to
Larsen:
Lodging.
“The camping area at the
event has increased at a rate
of about 20 percent over the
last few years, and there's not
much more we can do about it
at this point,” said Larsen.
“It's a complex issue simply
because you can't justify sustaining new hotels or motels
for one weekend a year,” he
explained.
In an effort to accommodate, CBA organizers are
continuously assessing the
camping and RV parking plan
annually.
Much in part to the
Festival's positive impact on
local culture and the arts, the
CBA was approached by corporate sponsor NBT Bank in
2015 with an offer of additional funding to enhance
CBA's programming presence. The result: a marked
increase in the number of
“free” shows organized by
the CBA in the organizations
offshoot 'Summer Concert
Series' held in the City of
Norwich's East Park stage
every Thursday evening in
the moths of July and August.
“The Chenango Blues
Association and its core
group of volunteers, many of
which have stuck with the
Blues Fest from the very
beginning, works very hard
each year to bring worldclass talent and culture to our
community,” said Larsen.
One way the Chenango
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Winter Hours: Tues.-Fri. 9-5 pm; Saturday 10 - 3 pm
Success Story
Oliver’s Campers
Oliver’s Campers is celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year. The family owned
and operated venture started in 1966 when Robert and Shirley Oliver started selling
campers in their front yard. 50 years later the business remains in Norwich and is moving into a third generation. Honest values and trusted handshakes have lasted through
the years. Oliver’s Campers has grown into a recognized Central New York RV
Dealership. They have been members of the RV Dealers of Association of Syracuse for
over 25 years. During this time they have participated in the two annual Syracuse RV
Shows located at the NYS Fairgrounds.
Jim Oliver took over the family business in 1991 and moved it to its current location
next to Mead’s Pond on Route 12. In 1992 Oliver’s Campers was awarded the highest
achievement in the RV Industry, the Fleetwood Circle of Excellence Customer
Satisfaction Award. This nationwide accolade was received by select dealerships across
the country and was based on third party surveys of customers. Oliver’s Campers
received the award for 15 consecutive years. They had a 99.7% rating, one of only a
handful of dealerships to receive such a rating through the award’s 15 year span.
Like all families, and most businesses, Oliver’s has faced and overcome adversity. In
their 50 years, they survived two “100 year floods” in 2005 and 2006. The second flood
left over four feet of water inside their storefront, showroom and building. Perseverance
and hard work once again prevailed as Oliver’s was able to bounce back and recover.
In 2010 Oliver’s was asked by one of their manufacturers, Cruiser RV, to represent
their product in Hershey, PA at “America’s Largest RV Show.” This task is usually carried out by a dealership much larger than Oliver’s, but with their knowledge and diligence the expectations were exceeded in flying colors.
That same year Oliver’s was sought out directly by Lockheed Martin for the purchase
of five travel trailers. These trailers were shipped to Saudi Arabia and were used as part
of a traveling convoy that was responsible for updating radars and satellites for the US
Department of Homeland Security.
Since 2014 Oliver’s has pursued a venture in the Music Festival Industry. On any
given weekend, trailers from their fleet of 50 are used at events anywhere from Georgia,
Tennessee, Michigan, Delaware and Virginia. Festivals like Bonnaroo, Firefly, Lockn,
Delaware Junction and Phish’s MagnaBall . Their trailers have been used by artists from
Santana, Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead.
Even with Oliver’s Camper’s wide reach and spectrum, they have never forgotten their
roots. They have continually donated the use of trailers to assist community events like
the Pumpkin Fest, Chenango Blues Fest, Gus Macker, Colorscape, Relay for Life and
the Chenango County Fair.
Oliver’s Campers would like to thank the community for helping them reach such a
milestone. They can’t wait for the next 50 years.
Eight to
Eighty
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Blues Association keeps folks
coming back every year is by
keeping the event financially
approachable for all. Nine of
the 10 performances are free,
and if you happen to be 17 or
under, all of them are.
“We really like to promote
the fact that the majority of
our performances are free to
community, and that's really
important to us,” said Larsen.
“Most festivals that you
would go to are for-profit, but
we're not; whatever money
we make we put right back
into the Blues Fest.”
“That being said, it wouldn't have ever been possible
without the contributions of
local businesses like NBT
Bank of Norwich, and
Preferred Mutual Insurance
over in New Berlin and grant
assistance from the R.C.
Smith Foundation and the
Chenango Arts Council.”
While the CBA is still very
much hard at work on a 2016
lineup, Larsen did reveal that
this year's Chenango Blues
Fest is going to be the most
exciting to date, and that
bringing home such a prestigious honor accentuates the
CBA's commitment to Blues.
Said Larsen, “We're very
exited for what's in store for
the 2016 season, it's going to
be an excellent year full of
top-notch programming.”
PUBLISHED
BY
31
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2016
THE EVENING SUN
Norwich BID - A progressive approach to enhancing downtown
BY MATTHEW WHITE
Sun Staff Writer
mwhite@evesun.com
NORWICH - “I have family and friends that come from
all over; they drive from
Syracuse and Rochester, and
they are always amazed at the
number of activities that fill
Norwich thought the year.”
Those words from City of
Norwich
Business
Improvement
District
(BID)President
Roger
Shackleton echoed off the red
brick walls of historic City
Hall “They all comment on
how much is going on in our
little town.”
That might not be the case
if it were not for the hard
work and concerted efforts of
the Norwich BID. In stark
contrast from many downtowns of small, rural communities - downtown Norwich
has always been and continues to be an attractive and
vibrant destination, thanks
largely in part to the Norwich
Business
Improvement
District (B.I.D) that was
established in 1986, a subsidiary of the former Norwich
Business
Improvement
District
Management
Association, Inc. (BIDMA),
founded in 1982 - one of the
first BID's in New York State.
As a whole, the BID capitalizes on the idea that the
downtown is the center of
community life and more
than just a place of commerce. The BID’s belief that
a revitalized downtown benefits the entire community is
infectious, reaching beyond a
set of boundaries on a map.
An attractive downtown is a
symbol of community economic health, quality of life
Frank Speziale Photo
The Colonia Theater is a long-standing downtown Norwich staple.
and pride in history that resonates throughout the county.
Tasked with developing
programs aimed at spurring
downtown foot traffic along
the City of downtown
Norwich sidewalks and
parks, the BID essentially
functions as a private sector
organization, which enhances
the safety, cleanliness, image
and competitiveness within
the confines of a defined
downtown district.
Throughout its 30 years of
existence, BID has been
involved with and implemented various projects and
improvements within this dis-
trict including the creation of
a parking lot, various parking
improvements, streetscape
enhancements and the implementation of various grant
opportunities.
For downtown Norwich to
reach its full potential, there
must be a management vehicle that allows downtown's
key constituents and government officials to plan and
work together and BID continued to meet that goal
through 2015.
It would be hard to put a
finger on a festival or downtown program that the BID
has had a hand in. The
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Chenango Blues Fest, The
Annual Pumpkin Festival,
Colorscape-the list goes on
and on. BID’s main function
for some of these programs is
to serve as the 503-C nonprofit “umbrella” that enables
a tax-free nonprofit funding
conduit for grant funding.
According to Shackleton,
the win-win logic is simple:
Entice downtown attendance
by lending a collaborative
hand to like-minded organizations, and reap the reward
on the backside with
increased revenue at the brick
and mortar shops on main
street.
“To us, it’s all about working in conjunction with these
programs to make them more
successful, all in an effort to
bring people into the downtown of our City,” said
Shackleton. “From there it’s
up to the individual merchants to capitalize on that
uptick in foot traffic.”
But not only is the BID an
accessory organization that
props up the cultural staples
that serve as the fabric of the
Norwich culture, they also
directly responsible for a
number of initiatives tasked
primarily with increasing foot
traffic to the downtown scene.
BID both organizes and
funds such annual affairs as
the much revered Christmas
tree Lighting ceremony, community-wide easter egg hunt,
a classic car cruise-in which
serves as the impromptu kickoff to summers-long activities
in the both East and West
Parks.
“The BID is proud to be
part of this,” said Coe, “and
we’ll do everything we can to
create an atmosphere that fosters this growth. Through our
work, we produce the events
that drive people to this area,
increase the enjoyment for
those who live here, and
cause a positive shift in the
perceptions of downtown
Norwich.”
Much akin to The
Chenango United Way’s Day
of Caring, The BID has
spearheaded “Main Street
Sweep,” a volunteer based
action brigade that tackles a
laundry list of basic chores
around the downtown areas.
“We split up, pick up trash,
scrub business windows, and
pull weeds - basically anything that we can do to beau-
tify the BID district,” said
Coe.
And, BID’s contagious
spirit has caught on. On a
separate occasion in mid
September 2015 more than
250 volunteers from Norwich
Pharmaceuticals/Alvogen
descended upon the City,
coordinating with BID members for the third annual
“Alvogen Day Community
Cleanup.”
“It really was quite something,” attested Shackleton,
“There were guys painting
and doing general maintenance and minor repairs to
area businesses, weeds being
pulled, and garbage being
hauled - the turnout was phenomenal.”
Looking ahead to 2016,
BID plans on sustaining the
dozens of free events and succor to downtown culture that
has keep it the “go-to” committee in downtown ongoings over the last three
decades. Coe and Shackleton
agree while that the art of
bringing thousands of people
into the district and promoting commerce for our merchants isn’t the easiest job in
the county, should remain the
focal point for the organization - as these events are the
best way to engage community members and showcase our
community to new visitors
alike.
“I speak for myself and all
of our board members when I
say that we are passionate
about this community and
want to see it grow and thrive,
we will continue to prop up
Norwich by creating an the
most inviting downtown
image possible.”
32
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2016
2013
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN