From The Mayor's Office: State of the Village

The Village of Endicott is entering a very busy time as we begin the exit out of COVID – 19 and continue to make progress on projects and planned improvements. We rely on many community partnerships to help us and will celebrate many milestones this year.

Community Projects:

The Washington Avenue Committee has been meeting to review design concepts for our Main Street projects. The revitalization work scope includes the redesign of Washington Avenue, new entrances to the Village, replacement of parking, building facades, and many design details to improve our Community's look. Most of the construction will start next year, but we hope to begin a few projects this year. Look for more reporting on the progress soon.

Endicott Square at 23 Jackson Avenue is an affordable housing complex with 64 apartments. They are now accepting applications and plan on starting to have people move-in at the beginning of September. Applications are available at the village customer service office or contact me at voemayor@endicott.com. The development company is Housing Visions, and we look forward to the potential for other projects in the future.

Difrancesco Development Corporation plans a $20 million expansion of Skye View senior living community with 120 additional apartments. The company is requesting a deviated pilot agreement for taxes. The Village and the Agency will have to assess the proposed pilot agreement.

The Village is waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to issue a permit to extend the Chugnut Trail to Round Top. This project will connect seven parks in our Community.

The dilapidated house at 108 Roosevelt will be torn down in May by the Broome County Land Bank.

A new 60-foot-high cell tower will be erected soon on Cleveland Avenue behind Price Chopper. This project was approved by the Village Planning Board in 2019.

Business Projects:

iM3NY continues to make progress. It's hiring personnel and expects to have 1,200 employees by 2028 when the Lithium-Ion Battery manufacturing plant will be at full capacity. The company expects many of its corporate partners to establish operations in the area.

Bryne Dairy is interested in purchasing the vacant Friendly's property on Main St. We are currently reviewing regulatory requirements. We expect to negotiate a successful transaction as Byrne Dairy would be a welcome addition to the Village.

The Agency - Broome County IDA - is now aligned with the Chamber of Commerce. It's working with the DEC to clean up the former forging site on North Street for future use. The Agency website posts available properties in Broome County. The Agency also negotiates large energy projects in the County. Addendums to company contracts for large energy projects require money to be set aside to remove equipment should the company close. This concept could also be applied to gas stations.

Village Operations:

The Broome County Health Department reported that our water system complies with all regulations, operates efficiently, and is well managed. We continue working on occasional brown discoloration in water in specific areas.

The Village Police Reform plan will be sent to the Governor once the resolution is adopted. We are fortunate that our police chief was already implementing many of these suggestions long before the Governor requested plans from all law enforcement agencies across the State. Our Police chief is respected and highly active in our Community. He wants every resident to feel safe and secure. Thank you to the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Panel for months of dedication and great work.

The Police Committee on 'Crime Prevention through Environmental Design' is making progress. The Police, Code Department, and other Village Department leaders work together to address blight through solutions with win/win outcomes. Many problem properties have been cleaned up. Radio personality Bob Joseph drove through the Village and remarked to me how much better it is looking!

The Police Department is also helping us evaluate additional camera coverage in the Washington Avenue area to coordinate with our Main Street projects. More lighting and camera coverage will give a better sense of security for our residents and visitors.

Speaking of safety, the speed limit in front of the UE High School will now be 20 MPH. The poles for the new signs are up. We have waited a long time for this!

We hope to be able to open the Northside Pool this year. We could not open last year due to COVID. The Street department set aside the money for lifeguards and to replace the sand in our filters.

My secretary is progressing work on a $250,000 NYSERDA grant for clean energy projects within the Village. We are also evaluating a grant opportunity for high-speed internet for low-income residents.

Community Partners:

Endicott Proud Beautification committee is planning on a cleanup day for Earth Day, April 22. They will be able to take the street and sidewalk debris to our Village Central Garage to dispose of it. Household furnishings are not allowed.

Clean energy technology experts are developing an education program for the public on the benefits of clean energy technology, including batteries for energy storage.

The Susquehanna Heritage Committee is planning for a "Ride The Carousel Circuit" event sometime this summer. Our carousel was disassembled for maintenance and repairs last year. Many refurbished parts are starting to be reassembled and then return the horses which have been in storage. While we are hopeful for a Carousel reopening event in May, the Street Supervisor says it might not be ready by then but stay tuned.

I visited with Compassionate Care of Central NY at 305 Main Street. They provide support and day programs for people with brain trauma. I am continually impressed with the companies and organizations in our Community. We will continue to reach out to highlight more organizations and businesses.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with various projects such as beautification or serve on Boards, Committees, or Commissions. One such project is going through Village photos to create scrapbooks for display in the Village Hall Rotunda. If you have an interest in helping, please contact me at voemayor@endicott.com.

Community Milestones:

Our Endicott Square Deal Arch marked its 100th-anniversary last year. We had to put off the celebration due to COVID. This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Arch in Johnson City. This fall, we will plan a parade from one Arch to the other to celebrate these historic landmarks.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of professional golf in our Community. The Dick's Sporting Goods Open Senior Golf Tournament will take place at En-Joie. As we get closer to the event, we will know more regarding attendance limits due to COVID.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Endicott Rotary. The club has always provided strong support for our Community. This past year they provided significant donations of food to the UE School District during COVID. They are planning some upcoming events to celebrate their anniversary and support the Village.

I was delighted to meet our four new Police recruits who are joining our family! The event reminded me of our employees' great work to adapt through the pandemic and perform regular duties. Our employees continue to innovate to reduce costs and create value for the Village. Everyone looks forward to making significant progress over the next several years.

I have had some conversations with a National Magazine about featuring a story on our Village, our history, and what we have to offer people who may want to come here to do business. It could be helpful to market Endicott.

In addition to my monthly State of the Village reports, the Village provides updates on Facebook to keep the residents and businesses informed and involved.

Linda Jackson

Mayor of Endicott