Section 5 - The Evening Sun

The Annual Comprehensive Picture
Of Our Business World’s New Ventures,
Ideas & Growth In Chenango County.
PUBLISHED BY THE EVENING SUN, NORWICH, N.Y. • JAN. 2008
S
E
C
T
I
O
N
F
I
V
E
RAYMOND CORPORATION
Manufacturing
forklifts keeps
Chenango County
a viable player in
state’s economy
BY MELISSA
DECORDOVA
The Evening Sun
S
killed welders and machinists
looking for a top-notch
career opportunity need look
no further than Chenango County’s
own backyard: The Raymond
Corporation in Greene wants you.
The subsidiary of Toyota Industries Corporation is already far and away the county’s
largest employer with 1,000 workers. And
even though its welding department is known
to be the largest in the state, positions are still
available.
“We need good workers,” said Vice President and General Manager Rick Harrington.
The call for more employees is just one
sign of the 85 year-old business’ positive outlook. This outlook was best exemplified last
year when The Raymond Corporation was
able to weather the nation’s economic woes
relatively unscathed. No workers at the
Greene plant were laid off despite a 12 percent drop in the materials handling industry.
A very small number of the company’s
employees weren’t as lucky at Raymond’s
Brantford, Canada and Muscatine, Iowa
plants. The company, which employs 2,400 in
total, also maintains a parts distribution center
in East Syracuse.
According to Chief Executive Officer and
President James J. Malvaso, constant product
innovation and complete dedication to meeting customers’ requirements has helped set
The Raymond Corporation apart from the
pack.
“We were able to still maintain very good
revenue rates and profit levels in a very competitive industry last year,” he said. “We were
able to do that because of our world class
manufacturing operations and world class
distribution systems ... that produce and
deliver the highest quality trucks at the lowest
cost to the consumer.”
The Raymond Corporation is the leading
North American provider of materials handling solutions that improve space utilization
and productivity. High performance, reliable,
ergonomically designed products range from
a full line of manual and electric pallet trucks
and walkie stackers to counterbalanced
trucks, Reach-Fork trucks, orderpickers and
dual-purpose Swing-Reach trucks.
The Raymond Corporation’s trucks are utilized for moving virtually any consumer
product available on the market today. Highvolume warehouses, such as Maines Paper
and Food Service in Binghamton; The Gap
warehouse in Fishkill; and Wal-Mart warehouses across the country each utilize anywhere from 100 to 200 of Raymond’s trucks.
Locally, forklifts are in operation at Norwich
Pharmaceuticals in North Norwich, Mid-York
Press, Inc. in Sherburne and MeadWestvaco
in Sidney, among others.
Moreover, the company works with over
200 suppliers within and outside of New York
State.
Reaching the 85th anniversary milestone
this year was cause for great celebration.
From its founding by George Raymond, Sr. in
1922, to its pallet patent in 1939, to the development of the first narrow aisle truck in 1951
- followed by computer-controlled, ergonomically engineered and microprocessor driven
products created later in the 1980s - Raymond
is the longest lasting and most innovative
company in its industry.
Since Malvaso took the helm in 1993, more
than $75 million has been invested in property, equipment and new information technology infrastructures. The company’s revenue
growth paints an even more impressive picture. In 1993, revenues were about $145 million. Today, they are just shy of $800 million.
Perhaps the most significant corporate
development was in 2000 when Toyota purchased The Raymond Corporation. The association has made way for a strong foothold in
the worldwide marketplace. “With the Toyota
Materials Handling Group, our businesses
combined represent the largest lift truck manufacturers in the world. We can supply American, European and Japanese-styled products
to any customer, any where, at any time,”
Malvaso said.
Also during Malvaso’s tenure, The Raymond Corporation was the first electric fork
lift manufacturer in North America to successfully introduce AC technology for electric lift trucks in narrow aisle applications.
The company introduced several new products including three- and four-wheel, sitdown, counterbalanced trucks as well as leading edge walkie pallet and walkie stacker
trucks.
“All of our positive outlook in this industry
goes back to Malvaso himself,” General Manager Rick Harrington attests. He points to a
period in 2002 when the industry was also
down, and the company went from producing
7,000 units in 2000 to 5,800 in 2001 and
4,600 in 2002.
“It’s significant that that’s when we chose
to do a building project. Our president fully
expects the market to come back up, and
when it does, he wants us to be able to offer a This is just one of the many types of Raymond Corporation brand
Reaching
new
heights
forklift trucks that are in operation in warehouses across the world.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 Most are built at the company’s plant in Greene.
ADVERTISERS
OFC: Helping
people make
financial,
personal and
professional
progress.
PAGE 32
At BOCES,
the focus is
always on
hands-on
learning.
PAGE 33
• Gus’ Steakhouse • The Parson’s Daughter •
• Sherburne Sports • New York State Veterans’ Home •
• Chenango Memorial Hospital •
• Piaker & Lyons • Great Brook Enterprises •
• Morrisville State College Norwich Branch •
• Signs by Wightman • AFLAC Jim Reynolds •
• E-Sell-It • Hayes Office Products •
• Golden Age Apartments • Mike’s Furniture Repair •
• Smith Ford LLC •
30
Progress Chenango 2008
Published by The Evening Sun
TH E RAYMOND CORPORATION
A key player –
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
higher quality product. It’s
the Malvaso tradition,” Harrington said.
The last of three physical
plant improvements - begun
in 2006 and representing $16
million for construction and
equipment - will be completed this year. Combined, the
new construction added
78,000 square feet of space,
making the physical plant
nearly 500,000 square feet.
The first addition was
designed to incorporate a
new hydraulic system for lifting cylinders, the second was
for manufacturing a sit down
counter-balance line and the
third, an environmentally
friendlier paint system that
provides a more durable,
harder finish.
The emissions-free paint
system was an initiative of
Toyota Industries. “We were
already more than compliant
with industry mandates,”
Harrington said. “Toyota just
asked us to be more aggressive.”
In addition to physical
plant improvements, employees went through 40 plus
hours of training in problem
solving last year. In fact, the
company just recently honored the employee who
developed the 2,000th of
2,013 ideas that were identified to improve productivity.
“Our achievements have
been incredible since starting
in the fall of 2006 and all
through last year,” Harrington said. “Some of the 2,013
improvement ideas received
from employees were closed
in two days. Others, if they
involved another department,
took up to 20 days.”
The newly implemented
problem solving ideas saved
the company $498,000 in
2007.
The Raymond Corporation
recently began working with
several emerging technologies that can be used with
electric forklift trucks in
warehousing and distribution
centers. Perhaps the most
exciting development was
embracing hydrogen fuel cell
technology last year, an effort
that will continue in 2008.
Capitalizing on grants from
the New York State Energy
Research and Development
Authority and the New York
Power Authority - as well as
investing $550,000 of its own
into the project - Raymond is
currently on the forefront of
developing hydrogen fuel
cell-powered lift-trucks. It is
also the first business in New
York to have an indoor fueling dispenser for the new
energy source. The environmentally clean technology
would increase productivity
in warehouses by significantly reducing the time it takes
to change the large batteries
that currently power materials handling trucks.
But not only The Raymond
Corporation studying the new
technology, but - following in
a long-standing tradition - it
is also sharing the benefits
and potential risks of multiple hydrogen fuel cell technologies with the overall
industry.
“Sharing data has been the
company’s philosophy since
the Raymonds gave away our
double faced pallet patent in
1937,” said Charlotte O’Dea,
a marketing specialist at Ray-
mond and former director of
the Chenango County United
Way.
Malvaso said another
ongoing project in 2008 is the
Pro Fleet Plus management
system. While each truck
four or five computers
already inside, customers are
looking for data about how
much their trucks are driving
and lifting and the time it
takes to do so. Using the captured data, the company plans
to offer a more useable information management tool that
will increase efficiencies
within the warehouse.
Fifty percent of Raymond’s
employees in Greene live in
Chenango County, and, their
health matters to the company’s leaders. “We treat our
employees like family,” Malvaso said. Since implementing a new program for workers and their families five
years ago - one that includes
free
mammogram
and
prostate screenings, on-site
fitness consultation and training and weight watchers
meals in the cafeteria - Raymond’s health insurance
costs have remained steady.
“It’s a really good thing for
all of us. You can’t control
health care costs. But Raymond has demonstrated that
you actually can hold that
cost down,” Malvaso said,
pointing to a zero percentage
increase in insurance costs
since the program was implemented.
Philanthropically, Malvaso
is a strong believer that corporations also need to be
good corporate citizens.
Thus, the Raymond Foundation has contributed hundreds
of thousands of dollars to
non-profits, schools and
municipal government. It last
year awarded the Greene Fire
House and Community Center a check for $650,000, and
regularly sponsors an apprentice program for the Greene
Central School District. It
also sponsored a co-op program with engineering
schools at Clarkson University and the Rochester Institute
of Technology.
Harrington said the company continually tries to get
schools to better educate students toward blue and white
collar jobs, rather than gray,
service-oriented
ones.
(O’Dea represents the company as a member of the
Chenango County Workforce
Investment Board.)
“So many kids end up taking service-oriented jobs and
are unhappy,” he said. “We
need to gear up education to
place more emphasis on math
and computer skills for these
kids.”
Harrington said that welding and machinists jobs
require highly skilled professionals with PC skills who
understand how lasers and
robotics work and are proficient with inspection and
measuring equipment.
“The assembly line at Raymond is no longer the dark
and grinding place that typified most manufacturers in
the past, nor is it as manually
intensive,” he said.
In fact, the assembly line
processes have been re-configured over the past several
years according to Toyota’s
well-known production and
technology standards. The
culture change has affected
the way people do their jobs
The Raymond Corporation President James
Malvaso consults with workers at the
company’s headquarters plant in the Town of
Greene.
and resulted in quality
improvements in the 80 to 90
percent range.
“It’s a philosophy to works
to eliminate waste and create
the highest quality products,”
Harrington said, adding that
the plant in Greene is held up
by Toyota as an example of
how quality and production
improvements can be made
in a very short time.
Malvaso attributes the
materials handling industry’s
decline in 2007 to pressures
on the consumer, the weak
U.S. dollar and housing market credit crunch. He said he
expected the industry to fall
off another 5 percent in 2008
before leveling next November after the political elections.
Responding to New York
State
Governor
Eliot
Spitzer’s recent State of the
State address, Raymond’s
leader said he was “pleasantly surprised” that the current
administration is trying to
become more business
friendly. “New York is currently re-establishing itself as
a manufacturing state,” he
said.
“We are a $300 million
business in North America
and a $100 million business
in New York,” he added. “A
lot of goodness has come to
this region because of the
growth of Raymond.”
In Chenango County, Malvaso said he was “somewhat
disappointed” with the lack
of progress made to improve
existing transportation and
energy services infrastructure. He said the state Route
12 corridor “is dangerous”
and “not the most friendly of
routes” that his trucks must
take. “I’m disappointed that it
remains two-lanes,” he said.
In addition, he said he had
hoped that the natural gas
pipeline
project
from
Lebanon to Greene would be
further along.
“We would have to change
our heating systems from
propane and oil to natural gas
and that wouldn’t be cheap,
but we would do it if they
would bring a line here. We
now have municipal electric,
but I’m not sure how long
that will perpetuate,” he said.
“If the greater Chenango
County community is serious
about economic development, these infrastructure
issues need to be addressed,”
he concluded.
My Goal Is...
Holidays and Every Day - Our Prices Never Change.
That Is Our Promise!
To Keep You Sweet
Serving The Finest Certified Steaks, Fresh Seafood & Chicken Dishes
Thank You For Your Support in 2007
We look forward to your support as we plan some great events this year.
The excitement we receive from our community is overwhelming and once
again we are so proud to host our Sr. Citizen Prom with your support.
This Mardi Gras themed event is scheduled for May 4th, 2008
Six West Park Place on the green, Norwich
607-336-3395 • Visa & Mastercard accepted.
PROGRESS BEING MADE
HERE...
Our Heartfelt Gratitude
Gus, Maria, Alexandra and Kosta Stamatatos
5698 State Highway 12
Norwich, NY • 607-336-4777
NEW HOURS:
OPEN MONDAYS & TUESDAYS @ 3:00 PM;
WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY @ 11:30 AM
NEW
FOR
2008
Jackets
Helmets
Gloves
Bibs
Snow Pants
Belts
Oil
Plugs
Carbides
SHERBURNE SPORTS
PARTS &
ACCESSORIES
BURT MATOTT, Jr. • Phone/fax: 607-674-9281 • www.sherburnesports.com
84 North Main Street • Sherburne, NY 13460 ~ M-T-W: 9-6 • Th-F: 9-8 • Sat: 9-3 • Sun: 9-1
ATV • BOAT • BIKE • SLED
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2008
31
SIDNEY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Making a
difference, one
member at a time
BY JESSICA LEWIS
The Evening Sun
y offering its members services that
extend past the traditional banking realm, Sidney
Federal Credit Union is trying to prove that there is a
difference between a bank
and a credit union, and that
difference is in the service its
members receive.
Unlike a traditional bank,
Sidney Federal Credit Union
is a non-profit corporation.
“We don’t have stock holders, so we don’t have to take
every opportunity to maximize profits,” explained
SFCU President and CEO
James Doig. “We work
toward a budget and try to
return as much as we can.”
Because it is not oriented
toward maximizing profits,
SFCU can offer competitive
rates while keeping fees to a
minimum.
“Our overall focus is member service. We’re always
looking for opportunities to
be more efficient and thinking about member service,”
Doig said. Due to the set-up
of the credit union, Doig
explained, the members actually own the corporation, so
the focus is always on member service.
“We as employees are all
members, so we understand
memberships and the part the
rest of the members play. The
whole philosophy is different,” explained Joseph
B
Zummo, the vice president of
marketing.
In an attempt to optimize
member service, many
changes were implemented in
2007. One such change took
place in the Greene branch,
where the credit union had
out grown the facility. Due to
cramped quarters, small
offices, and a lack of privacy
for the members, the office
was overhauled at the end of
2006, and a grand re-opening
was held. According to Doig,
the new facility, which
includes a new teller line,
two new offices and more
technology, is nicer for the
members and the employees.
Zummo hopes the new facility will help to inform the
public about the facility,
which is open to anyone who
lives, works, attends school
or worships in the Otsego,
Delaware of Chenango
County area, and their family
members.
Doig explained that there is
no age limit for members,
saying that many SFCU
members were in the youth or
teen age groups. With this in
mind, SFCU has increased
their youth focus this year, by
introducing the “youth zone,”
and by sending out a new
publication “Brass” to teen
members in the 16 to 17 year
age group.
“We’re trying to educate
our younger members and
potential members about how
to handle credit cards and car
Our Past...
loans,” Doig explained.
SFCU started working to distribute Brass magazine in
2007. The national magazine
partners with financial institutions to reach kids in the 16
and 17 year old age range.
SFCU currently sends the
magazine to 1,100 student
members.
“When we sent out the
third edition, we tried to gain
a response by creating a contest the kids could enter. That
way we know they are reading it. We’re pretty sure they
are getting something out of
it, and we feel good about
that. It’s the right thing to
do,” Zummo said.
Other new services that
SFCU is offering this year are
small business loans, an area
that was previously non-existent. Although the company
was almost strictly consumer
based in previous years, business loans were added to the
offering in 2007 so Sidney
Federal would be better
equipped to handle all of its
members’ needs. “We’ve
always had a lot of members
who are small business owners, and sometimes they
needed help that they couldn’t get from larger financial
institutions,” Zummo said.
Doig explained that small
businesses
had
limited
options at SFCU before, but
with the addition of the business loans, members can do
all of their business at one
place. Although it is taking a
The Greene branch of Sidney Federal Credit Union got a major
overhaul this year. In order to better serve their members, the location
was renovated to provide more privacy in the form of a new teller line
and larger offices for SFCU employees.
conservative approach to the
new venture, SFCU hopes to
focus on smaller businesses
and loans of six figures and
under.
In an attempt to help members afford some necessity
items, the company is now
offering Health Savings
Accounts and heating cost
loans. Rising costs in the
health insurance market have
made health savings accounts
necessary for many Americans. The account works like
a checking account but it has
favorable tax treatment as
long as the money is spent for
qualifying medical expenses.
“Over the next two years,
we’re anticipating more of a
demand for this type of
account as costs continue to
rise,” Doig explained.
Similarly, SFCU is offering
heating cost loans to help
families combat the rising
cost of home heating fuel.
“For families who are not on
a budget plan, these loans can
help spread out the high cost
of heating fuel,” Doig
explained. The loans can also
be used to install a supplemental heat source, such as a
wood stove or to replace a
major heating source like a
Our Present...
furnace. “We’re trying to
help people in the area who
need help heating their
homes. Sometimes it comes
down to a choice between
heat, food and medicine,”
Doig said, explaining that
this is one way members
might be able to stretch their
available funds.
For 2008, Doig and
Zummo hope to see more
services for all of th credit
union’s members. The company had 47,903 members as
of September 2007 and
$259,115,572 in assets. In the
coming year, Doig explained
the company would be making some changes to make
SFCU more efficient. One
way is by adding an e-signature feature for loans and
paper work. The e-signatures
will require members to sign
with an electronic device,
which will automatically
send the paperwork to a
record keeping system where
it will be filed.
Other changes include an
upgrade to the CU-online,
which will offer more products and even more ease of
use. SFCU is hoping the transition to the new system will
be seamless and convenient
for users.
Another major change will
be in the way checks are
processed. Currently it takes
SFCU and other financial
institutions several days to
process a check, due to the
time it takes to send the check
to the federal reserve and
back to the bank from which
it originated. However, in
2008 SFCU plans to cut
down on the hold time by
converting the checks to
images and transferring them
electronically. Some retailers
already use the electronic
method to send checks, and
Doig explained the change
would make the system more
efficient for all involved.
Among the goals for 2008,
SFCU hopes to gain more
members
and
possibly
expand into more areas of the
community. “We want to continue looking at expanding
into under serviced areas,”
Zummo said, explaining that
in any situation the organization has to look at the relationship between the cost of
the expansion and the number of members it would
gain.
Our Future.
Nestled On The Rolling Hills Of Oxford, NY, The 242-Bed Veterans’ Home Has
A 100 Plus Year History Of Serving Qualified Veterans And Their Dependents.
The Oxford Veterans’ Home is a premier skilled nursing facility which provides rehabilitation programs in Physical Therapy,
Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology in addition to long term skilled nursing services. The New York State
Veterans’ Home at Oxford is currently building a new state of the art multimillion dollar facility for the veterans of New York
State. The state of the art building is one of the first facilities in the state to offer all private rooms and all private bathrooms.
Volunteers are also very welcome. For information about our volunteer program please call us at 843-3126.
NEW YORK STATE VETERANS’ HOME
4211 State Highway 220
Oxford, NY 13830
32
Progress Chenango 2008
OPPORTUNITIES
Published by The Evening Sun
FOR
CHENANGO
Opportunities for Chenango employee Kay Taylor works with some of
the Headstart students to learn about the importance of eating healthy.
Helping people make
progress financially,
personally and
professionally
BY JILL KRAFT
The Evening Sun
pportunities
for
Chenango Director
Craig Cashman said
the past year was a time for
his organization to re-organize, strengthen its programs
and work toward new initiatives for the future. The nonprofit organization, which
provides essential services to
more than 4,000 Chenango
residents each year, is placing
big focus on affordable housing and early childhood education in the coming year.
“Housing is a regional
issue,” said Cashman. “As a
main economic development
issue, offering affordable
housing in the community is
a big concern,” he said.
“Unless you have affordable
housing, you do not have a
community.”
Cashman said as the economy changes it seems as
though the lower to mid-level
wage earners can not seem to
make enough to meet their
families’ basic needs. A new
strategic plan was put into
place in the beginning of this
year that is designed to refocus strategic goals for OFC
administrators, staff and the
community.
Cashman says OFC has
been successful partnering
with other programs in
Chenango County. He says
working with residents to
complete their taxes and
teaching them about the
earned income tax credit has
been beneficial. “We try to
introduce them to the fact
they can have their taxes
done, but also that they
should open a bank account
and start saving for the
future.” As an organization
that strives on helping people
by giving them a hand up and
not a hand out, Cashman says
O
OFC really tries to educate
people about how to gain
financially, personally and
professionally by teaching
them the skills they need the
rest of their lives, and not just
today. OFC offers programs
such as early childhood and
school-aged head-start, a
used car program known as
“Keys to Success,” employment services, the WIC program, housing programs and
others.
Nearby counties like
Broome, Cortland, and
Delaware reflect many of the
same problems that Chenango faces, Cashman said.
“We reach out and try to
assist where we can, we
recently joined forces in
Broome county to aid in continuous flood recovery which
for some is still is a concern,”
he said.
Strengthening its mission,
Cashman says a priority of
the company’s efforts will be
placed within the housing
programs which – besides
childhood education – are a
huge concern for Chenango
County. “Emphasis will be
placed on the first time home
buyers program, the foreclosure program and home rehabilitation programming,” he
said.
With the 2008 budget
around the $7 million mark,
Cashman says programming
– through grants and other
sources of funding – is put
into place and assessed regularly to maintain programs
that have had a positive
impact.
“We are trying to fulfill the
need in the community,” said
Cashman. For six years the
“Keys to Success” program,
which aids families in getting
reliable vehicles to travel to
and from work, has helped 90
families reach their goal. In
2007 alone, 19 families were
helped. As for early childhood education, Cashman
says nothing is more important to a child’s future than
gaining an education to learn
how to develop socialization
and fine motor skills. “We try
to have them build confidence in themselves so they
will succeed academically
down the road,” said Cashman. He also says by teaching structure to young children they in turn will adapt to
the school environment as
they age.
In 2007, according to
Head Start Director Karen
Randall, 438 children up to
age 5, as well as 22 pregnant
women, accessed comprehensive services in health,
nutrition and child and family
development
throughout
seven site locations in the
county. In addition she said
“preschool children’s math
skills rose by 47 percent,
social emotional competency
rose 55 percent and letter
recognition rose 37 percent
as measured by the national
reporting system testing
process.” She also states
within the June 2007 federal
review process the program
was measured 100 percent as
for meeting over 200 federal
regulations designating it a
gold star program – “an
accomplishment achieved by
few programs,” she said.
Looking ahead, Cashman
says the push to find ways to
address the health care system is another goal of OFC.
“This is a major barrier in the
region,” he said. “In years to
come this will be a huge focal
area for everyone.”
In a changing economy,
Cashman says he sees the
costs of living rising whereas
the average wages in the area
are staying the same.
TRACK
ASE Get the Whole
SWIMMING
Sports Picture
&
ALL
FIELD
Start home delivery right away and receive
FIELD
the best sports coverage in the area by
FOOT
calling our circulation department at:
HOCK
BALL
BOWLING
334-9086
girls WRESTLING
HOOPS
GYM
NASTI
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2008
33
DCMO BOCES
Keeping up with
the educational
demand
BY TYLER MURPHY
The Evening Sun
ith its multi-million
dollar
project
underway, DCMO
BOCES is looking at the
completion of a number of
new facilities later this year.
“Every chance we get,
we’re handing over the buildings to the contractors so they
can get as much done as possible before students again
need the facilities,” said
Assistant
Superintendent
Marki Clair-O’Rourke.
The Delaware-ChenangoMadison-Otsego Board of
Cooperative Educational Services draws its budget from
16 school districts in Chenango County. The fiscal budget
begins in July of every year
and the current total operating budget is about $37.4
million. A new budget will
again be voted on in June
2008.
The most unavoidable
aspect when driving past the
BOCES campus along East
River Road in Norwich is the
expansive construction project that’s in full swing.
Staff from both of BOCES’
campuses in Norwich and
Masonville got involved in
the initial project design
process.
For the first six months of
2006, professional architects
and teachers cooperated to
create a building that accommodated the center’s growing
W
needs. Students at the technical training facility have also
pitched-in by doing class
projects that both educate and
save building costs. For
example, the conservation
and equipment technology
classes constructed the parking lot. The classes also did
landscaping and applied life
and math skills throughout
the project.
Clair-O’Rourke said school
enrollment has risen significantly in the last 5 years from
25 percent of all juniors and
seniors attending to 33 percent. DMCO BOCES is technically the largest high school
in Chenango County, with
over 1,000 students in daily
attendance.
The new building project
was passed by a two to one
voter margin and is expected
to cost just over $48 million,
Clair-O’Rourke said. Much
of the cost will be covered by
state aid, but $17.8 million of
the bill is split up over the 16
local school districts.
Assistant Superintendent
David Blom explained the
project is paid for as part of
20-year bond and the annual
average cost to each district is
roughly $880,000.
However, each school pays
a different percentage based
upon its relative budget and
size. The resident-weighted
average daily attendance,
also called RWADA, is the
determining factor for each
school’s contribution.
BOCES offers a very large
range of classes at its facility;
from automotive and law
enforcement to culinary and
cosmetology. The school
focuses on applied and firsthand educational practices.
About 50 percent of the
BOCES student body furthers their education after
high school.
The culinary arts class, for
example, puts students right
into the mix by having them
operate a full buffet. As a
project, the class prepares a
dinner for the BOCES board
of directors. The event
includes 50 to 70 patrons and
the students are left to
arrange everything. The
instructor even has the class
choose their own manager to
be in charge. The students
then handle every detail without interference from the
teacher. The class prepares
the food and even manages
the account finances.
BOCES has been in an
ongoing contract dispute with
its staff. The New York State
United Teachers union has
been working without a contract for well over two years
despite continued talks with
the administration. The association is seeking improved
salaries, health care packages
and retirement incentives.
BOCES hopes to start
moving teachers and student
into the new buildings in mid
DMCO BOCES in Norwich has a thousand students come to the facility
daily, making it the largest high school in Chenango County. Students
are taught by experience first hand in a variety of classes such as cosmetology.
BOCES’ East River Road, Norwich campus is largely a construction
site these days, with work progressing on a multi-million dollar
building project.
or late May. After the relocation, work crews will then
begin the extensive renovation of the old buildings
while students are out.
“It can be a balancing act
between construction and
students, but we must always
do what’s in the best interest
of our students first. Hopeful-
ly it will all keep going
smoothly. Currently we are a
little a head of schedule,”
said Clair-O’Rourke.
819 County Rd. 28
South New Berlin, NY 13843
(607) 847-6366
fax 847-9253 9-5 M-F
•Accounting &
Auditing
•Income &
Estate Taxes
With Offices To Serve You In
• NORWICH 607-336-8908
• BINGHAMTON 607-729-9373
• SYRACUSE 315-471-8109
Certified Installers
email: DaveNRGman@frontiernet.net
•Solar Power •Wind Power •Microhydro Power
•Solar Heating/Hot Water/Pools
•Heat Pumps/Geothermal/Solar/Hybrid
Renewable Energy Systems
Member NYSEIA (Solar energy Industries Assoc.)
www.awesomesolar.com
34
Progress Chenango 2008
Published by The Evening Sun
BLUEOX CORPORATION
Home is where the heat is
BY MICHAEL MCGUIRE
The Evening Sun
e big, act small.”
That’s not the
Blueox Corporation’s motto, but it sounds
like it could be.
That’s because the employees who make up this
Oxford-based energy company say they take pride in serving the communities they live
in. It’s also because they take
pride in raising the bar – no
matter what size the competition is, company officials say.
“We’re striving be the best
outfit in our industry in the
market we’re in,” said sales
executive Jeff Emerson.
“Every day, in everything we
do, we’re trying to raise the
bar.”
With oil prices at or above
$100 a barrel, those standards
have never been more important than they are today,
Blueox spokesman Shane
Andrews said.
“We’re consumers, too,”
said Andrews. “That’s why
we’re always stressing efficiency to our customers, trying to help them keep their
prices down.”
As part of their commitment, Blueox is certified to
administer matching grant
programs and low interest
loans through the state to
families that make less than a
certain amount (depending
on family size) so they can
upgrade their homes to be
more efficient.
“We’re involved in that
program because we believe
in it,” Emerson said.
Blueox also touts a line of
energy efficient boilers, fur-
“B
naces, hot water heaters and
air conditioners that are both
reliable and highly-rated for
performance, Evans contends. In terms of pricing, the
company offers a range of
plans to help mitigate the
impact of rising cost-per-barrel prices on customers,
Andrews added.
Emerson admitted that high
oil prices are not a blessing
for Blueox, but rather a curse.
“We’re retailers, so when it
hits $100 a barrel, that’s what
we’re paying, too,” he said.
“Consumers only see the guy
that fills their tanks. But our
fingers aren’t in that pie.”
In fact, such astronomical
prices hurt retail profit margins and drive customers to
find alternative ways to heat
their
homes,
Emerson
explained.
People have also been
searching out alternative
ways to power their homes as
utility outages become more
frequent. As a result, Blueox
is ramping-up its residential
and light commercial fuelpowered generators program.
According to Blueox sales
executive Tim Evans, when it
comes to generators sales,
“there’s no one in the same
league with us.”
Although the program
began in 2003, this will be
the first year the company
will aggressively and outwardly market the line.
“2008 will be the year of
the generator at Blueox,”
says Emerson. “What separates us is the turn-key installation. From installation,
wire-up, fuel-up to regular
maintenance – it’s one price,
Blueox Service Technician Bob Bliss is seen here getting down and dirty to service a boiler.
Blueox prides itself on offering a long line of efficient home heating systems, company officials
say.
one company, for the whole
package. That’s what differentiates us from the big box
stores.”
Blueox offers both residential generators (normally 7 to
15 kilowatts) and light commercial models (up to 50
kilowatts).
“One of the big reasons for
the increase in generators
sales is that we’re seeing utility outages more frequently
and for a longer duration,
sometimes two or three days
for some of our customers,”
said Emerson. “People are
To celebrate our First Year Anniversary we are bringing back
our highly popular First Listing Free Offer!
From Now Until March 1st!
Thank You!
This past year has not only been a busy & exciting year for us, but an
unexpected one as well. We never imagined the immediate success & the
many satisfied customers we would receive in such a short period of time.
It is your faith and trust in us, that has made E-Sell-It what it is today!
We would also like to use this opportunity to thank the professional
staff at The Evening Sun & Pennysaver. Over this past year they have
featured our business in the Community section of the Evening Sun,
Classifieds, That’s Racing Spotlight, and a host of other sections within
the papers. They have helped us GREATLY with both professional
advertising and advice. It is their dedication and hard work that has
helped build our company to what it is today. For that we Thank You!
Both the Evening Sun & Pennysaver are truly dedicated to helping
business grow in Chenango County!
deciding to take ownership of
their power supply.”
Last year the company also
laid the foundation to
improve its service department, hiring six new technicians with a combined 118
years experience in HVAC.
One of those hires was new
service manager Kevin Hall,
a 23-year veteran of the
industry.
“We don’t want to just be a
fuel company that has a service department,” Hall said.
“We want to be known as a
fuel company that also offers
top-notch service and installation.”
In 2007, Blueox spent
$25,000 in 2007 on training
technicians. It also upgraded
its testing equipment to be all
digital and rolled out a brand
new fleet of heavy duty service vans.
“Our rolling stock is the
best looking fleet out there,”
Evans said.
Blueox was started in
Oxford in 1960. It now has
service branches in Oxford,
Binghamton and Hamilton,
that offer fuel, propane, and
kerosene products. Blueox
also owns 10 area gas stations
and convenience stores,
which recently switched to
selling Valero brand gasoline
and diesel.
“They are a progressive
company,” said Emerson of
Valero. “Offering their products has allowed us to put a
cheaper price out on the street
to our consumers.”
The commitment to consumers is the hallmark of the
company, Evans said.
“We are their neighbors,”
he said.
Featuring a full line of supplemental products like
Accident and Cancer. Also Dental is available.
★ Now Offering... Life Insurance, Term or Whole ★
Agent
An Independent Agent Representing Aflac New York
10 Grove Ave., Norwich, New York 13815
607.316.5731 office 607.336.1311 home
j1_reynolds@us.aflac.com
aflacny.com
PUBLISHED
BY
THE EVENING SUN
PROGRESS CHENANGO 2008
IN THEIR OW N WORDS
Success Stories
Chenango Valley Home &
Apartments
Through the years Chenango Valley Home and Apartments
has continued their long-standing tradition of caring for the
aging population in our area. Offering independent living
services as well as expanded personal care services, Chenango Valley Home & Apartments offers the perfect level of care
for you or someone you love. Meeting the many challenges of
quality health care and elder care among our aging population
continues to remain a key focus for the staff at Chenango Valley Home & Apartments. We are truly fortunate to have a privately owned alternative for continued care during the later
years of life right here in our community.
Chenango Valley Home & Apartments are conveniently
located in the heart of downtown Norwich, on the corner of
Canasawacta & Fair Streets. The Home has been in existence
since 1896 and through the years has offered assisted care for
both male and female seniors that may be in need of expanded personal care services. When you or your loved one reaches an age when you worry about safety, medications and eating well-balanced meals – Chenango Valley Home is there for
you. Group activities, shopping trips, fitness programs, parties
and movies are just a few of the many offerings at the Home;
not to mention private home-like rooms, delicious meals and
24-hour supervision. The staff at Chenango Valley Home is
the reason for the outstanding care that is provided. Each of
these competent, caring professionals average more than 15
years of employment at the Home, which assures your loved
one continuity in care. This staff works hard to develop close,
caring relationships with the residents and their families.
Chenango Valley Home is an excellent alternative for older
seniors seeking companionship and security in the later years
of life.
Chenango Valley Apartments was added adjacent to
Chenango Valley Home in the summer of 1998. These apartments offer active senior couples or singles independent living
without the many hassles that can be associated with home
ownership. The one and two bedroom apartment units are
housed in a completely modern facility with several amenities; such as monthly maid service, delicious meals, cable TV,
utilities and 24-hour staff supervision. Additionally, there is
elevator access to all levels of the facility, social activities and
more. When you visit Chenango Valley Apartments you’ll see
why people refer to it as the elegant alternative to retirement
living. Active seniors can socialize with other residents, enjoy
the on-site Library and entertain in the beautiful ‘Community
Room’ as they make Chenango Valley Apartments their
‘home’. Or, if they choose, they can head off to travel the
world and know that their belongings are safe and secure simply by locking their apartment door as they leave.
Judy Richard, Administrator of Chenango Valley Home &
Apartments, comments “Oftentimes, families wait until they
are in a situation where you need to make a quick decision
for continued care for a loved one. We truly recommend and
encourage you to plan ahead for the uncertain future that is
often associated with an aging family member. We welcome
anyone to give us a call and tour our facilities so they may
explore the options and make an informed decision about
their future before they are forced to do so quickly.” For senior care and so much more, the clear choice is Chenango Valley Home and Apartments. For further information, or to
arrange a tour, please call Judy Richard at 334-6598.
Sailing off to
a brand new
adventure
BY LAURIE O’SHEA
Retiring Executive Director of Hospice &
Palliative Care of Chenango County
t is with mixed emotions
that I prepare to leave
Norwich and Hospice &
Palliative Care of Chenango
County. I have been a part of
this community for more than
30 years and have witnessed
many changes in the health
care scene, including the
introduction of Hospice services. Hospice began as a
grass roots endeavor with the
intention of providing comfort to patients and families
facing the difficult challenge
at the end of a precious life. A
small but dedicated group of
volunteers spent a lot of time
on the phone and in the
homes of families who needed comforting, an understanding sounding board, and
respite care.
The day in 1991 that we
received our license from
New York State’s Department
of Health was a validation of
all of our hard work and
vision. We were now a fullfledged Hospice able to hire a
professional staff to take care
of more patients and families.
Registered Nurses and aides
were sent into patient’s
homes to supervise their plan
of care. They provided education about medications,
symptom and pain control,
I
Providing Housing In Norwich Since 1976
Here are some reasons why we love living at Golden Age Apartments!
*RESIDENT’S COMMENTS
and personal care issues. Our
Social Workers and Spiritual
Care Coordinator became
available for emotional support to those who’d signed on
for this new concept of Hospice care in Chenango County.
Ordinary, no - extraordinary - citizens from all walks
of life, took comprehensive
death and dying training to
become Hospice volunteers.
It takes a very special person
to walk into the home of a
stranger who is gravely ill,
and not only make everyone
feel comfortable with their
presence, but also offer their
companionship and caring
concern. Yes, we were well
on our way to becoming the
Hospice we’d envisioned just
a few short years before.
Healthcare has changed in
Chenango County, and we
have adapted to those
changes. As more and more
treatment options became
available to fight disease, late
referrals had to be managed.
While we completely understood the need to fight for
life, late admissions meant
we had to work twice as hard
to get the caregiver up to
speed, emotionally, and the
patient stabilized physically.
We have also secured the
trust of many more physi-
cians and other health care
providers. At first, they didn’t
know what to make of Hospice. Why would they want
to refer one of their longtime
patients to us? What did we
have to offer? It became
essential to educate not only
the clinical community, but
residents of Chenango County as well. While this education continues on a daily
basis, ‘We’ve come a long
way baby’ from hearing
“Huh, what is Hospice?” to
“Oh yes, Hospice. You’re
angels for what you do.”
What a difference 20 years
makes! We are also able to
admit patients with a life
expectancy longer than six
months and still receiving
life-prolonging treatment into
our palliative care program.
It’s an important transitional
program that’s available
before Hospice care is
required.
Twenty years is a long time
to work at any one job. But
Hospice was much more than
a job for me; it was a way of
life, my mission, my career,
my heart. And I feel comfortable leaving the agency at
this time because I know
we’re in a good place both
clinically and financially.
There will always be room
for growth and achievement,
Come visit our new
Office Furniture
showroom at
1 South Broad
Street, Norwich
featuring office
chairs, desks,
tables, filing
cabinets, and
more!
33 Mechanic Street, Norwich, NY
607-336-7004
*Subsidy Rent Available *Application Required
•Specializing in customized
upholstery and repairs •Tables
•Sofas •Recliners •Antiques
•Refinishing
Sales and
Service of
Electric
Lift Chairs
but that will be entrusted to
the new executive director
and my wonderful, highly
skilled staff. These people
make Hospice & Palliative
Care the unique, compassionate, and very vital agency it is
today.
I’m certain that my tomorrows will be filled with wonderful memories of Chenango County, its warm and generous people, and my two
decades of service at Hospice. Yet, they will also hopefully be filled with sunny
skies, and calm seas, as my
husband, Jim O’Shea, and I
prepare to leave this area to
fulfill our dream of traveling
the world on a 37-foot sailboat. It has been an honor to
live and work here.
Still your local partner in everything
office and now WE’VE EXPANDED!
Senior housing newly remodeled with elevators. Each one bedroom apartment
includes a modern kitchen, wall-to-wall carpeting in living room and bedroom, plenty
of closets and storage. Utilities included, along with garbage pickup three times a week,
and laundry facilities on each floor.
Turn Your Old Furniture Into New
with Upholstery and Repair
Laurie O’Shea
Committed to
Downtown Norwich
“Home-like apartments where you have your own space with friends near by.”
“No more lawns to mow or snow to shovel” • “Feeling of security”
“Enjoy socializing with friends through many activities available in our Community Room”
“Centrally located in the city, close to churches, drug store, and grocery stores”
“City bus stops every half hour to take us to most any destination” • “We appreciate the thoughtful staff”
If you are looking for a
nice place to live, call
Mon. through Fri.
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
for information.
Copies Plus...
provides copy, faxing,
UPS, FedEx, DHL,
laminating, and much
more! Come see us at
6 East Main Street,
Norwich
In Home Service - we can come to you!
In Norwich it’s
Phone & Fax
607-334-8460
Michael W. Girndt
17 Burr Avenue
Norwich, NY 13815
35
Mike’s
Furniture
Repair
6 East Main St., Norwich, NY 13815
Progress Chenango 2008
Published by The Evening Sun
Chenango County & Our Surrounding
Neighbors For Making The Automotive
Giant Your Choice:
FOR SELECTION
FOR SERVICE
FOR THE BEST DEALS!
We Appreciate Being Your Dealership Choice,
And Look Forward To Seeing You In 2008!
Bill Tyrrell
Janice Tyrrell
Buddy
Will Tyrrell
Owner
Owner
The Dog
General Manager
Gary Tackabury
Kay Courtemanche
Scott Strong
Jim Baker
Stan Bryden
Graydon Furman
Fred Hilsinger
Sales Manager
F&I Specialist
F&I Specialist
Sales Professional
Sales Professional
Sales Professional
Sales Professional
Dave Killian
Bill Oglesby
Sam Rifanburg
Lynn Wightman
Sales Professional
Sales Professional
Sales Professional
Forest Fletcher
Night Service Manager
Mike Barry
Parts Manager
Rhino Manager
Parts Advisor
Body Tech
Service Tech
Randy Matts
Tyler Myers
Jeremy O’Dell
Peter Parry
John Shepard
Randy Smith
Joseph Sykes
Sr. Do-It-All Tech
Lube Tech
Service Tech
Warranty Advisor
Service Tech
Service Tech
Service Tech
Jackie Guinn
Kristen Lenning
Danielle Scott
Jill Linger
Office Manager
Office Clerk
Office Clerk
Cleaner
Service Tech
Ned Jipson
Recon Tech
- LUBE FOR LIF
ELIFE
R
RO
FO
TA
N
SP
ECTI
CUSTOMER
FOR
Program
- WA
SH FOR LIFE -
FE
LI
NY
S
IN
Driver
Customer For Life Director
Robert Parker
Mark Coleman Brian Stiegerwald
Sales Professional Parts & Service Director Co-Service Director Co. Service Manager
R
Jim Dann
Sales Manager
ON F
TI
O
Lead Service Tech
Controller
Joshua Zbydiewski Michael Colbert Robert Greenman Joseph Hoffman
Martin Thompson Dennis Valentine Edward Zimmerman
Recon Tech
Marcy Hagenbuch Bob Hagenbuch “Aunt” Judy Wharton
O
36
Richard Ryder
the
Smith Ford
LLC
SMITH FORD, L.L.C. • 607-334-3273
WAREHOUSE
THE GIANTS WAREHOUSE • 607-336-3943
Driver