Improving Cobleskill’s economy was tops on new Mayor Mark Galasso’s list as he took office this week.
Sworn in to replace interim mayor Ted Brinkman on Monday, Mayor Galasso had two top priorities:
•Get Intelligent Fish, the fish-farming business, into the former Guilford Mills plant.
•Create a water and sewer district to include the Howe Caverns expansion.
Both projects are essential to Mayor Galasso’s theme of not raising taxes but still increasing revenue for the village.
“Don’t increase costs by one penny,” he said. “The only path is economic growth.”
One strategy is sell village services outside village boundaries, which Mayor Galasso wants to pursue with Howe Caverns.
The Caverns’ proposed expansion includes Dinosaur Canyon, zipline, mountain coaster and year-‘round RV park.
The plan for water and sewer services would extend lines to the Caverns at no cost to the village. The developer would put up half the cost, and Empire State Development would pay the rest, Mayor Galasso said.
Admitting the arrangement still must be finalized, Mayor Galasso said the benefits are enormous.
“The village has the water and sewer capacity to handle this,” he said. “And we’re talking 300 jobs here.”
Intelligent Fish this fall agreed to buy the Guilford plant from Schoharie County for $2.5 million. The village’s role is to provide water and sewer services to the business.
Intelligent Fish, however, can’t use chlorinated water to grow salmon, so village officials are considering changing a local law to allow the company to use wells at the plant.
The village will lower sewer rates for the company, and Intelligent Fish will make a one-time payment of $500,000, which would be the cost of building its own sewage treatment plant.
As Cobleskill officials work out the water and sewer details, the county and Intelligent Fish are moving toward a closing date, probably early next year.
The deal is essential not only to get the property back on the tax roll but to bring in jobs, Mayor Galasso said.
“We’ve got to get Intelligent Fish in the door,” he said. “It’s so critical to the village, the town, the school district and Schoharie County.
“It will generate income and will bring in 60 jobs––just to start.”
Revenue from both projects will help Cobleskill maintain services without raising taxes, Mayor Galasso said.
“We have nothing left to cut in the budget without eliminating services,” he said. “We don’t want to do that.
“How do we raise revenue to avoid a tax increase? The only answer is economic growth.”