Intelligent Fish is a bit closer to coming to Cobleskill––and bringing 50 jobs with it.
The company intending to buy the vacant Guilford Mills last week put $50,000 towards the purchase price, completing the deposit on the sale.
At the same time, Cobleskill village and town officials pledged to continue working with Intelligent Fish to smooth the way, including possibly annexing to the village the part of the Guilford property that lies in the town.
Alicia Terry, Schoharie County’s planning director, said Intelligent Fish’s deposit moves the sale another step closer.
“This locks in the purchase price [of $2.5 million],” Ms. Terry said. “We’re pretty excited about that.”
Agnes Cleary, spokesperson for Intelligent Fish, confirmed the deposit.
The start-up company is buying the plant from Schoharie County, which took it over from the previous owner because of unpaid taxes.
Intelligent Fish plans to raise and process salmon after the plant is remodeled over the next 18 months. When under way, the company expects to hire 60 people to start.
As Intelligent Fish moves forward, so are local officials. The Guilford building farthest to the east lies in the Town of Cobleskill––the rest of the property is in the village––and town Supervisor Tom Murray believes it should be annexed to the village.
Because the entire property is in two municipalities, “they have to answer to two boards,” Mr. Murray said.
“If it’s annexed, it would be a lot easier for them to deal with one board, one planning board, one zoning law.”
Late last year, village officials granted Intelligent Fish an exemption for the wells on the property so it can use that water instead of chlorinated village water.
Also, the village is selling the company reduced water and sewer services in exchange for a one-time payment of $500,000 to the sewer fund.
“We want to work very quickly to get them in here,” Mayor Mark Galasso said. “My understanding is that things are moving along.”
The water deal was essential, Mr. Murray added.
“They needed that to get their processing costs down to be competitive,” Mr. Murray said.
Ms. Terry praised local officials for being responsive.
“I’ve been very pleased with our meeting with the town and village,” she said. “The cooperation has been tremendous and refreshing.”
Although the closing date of the sale remains February 14, as first announced, the deal is far from complete.
Mayor Galasso noted that Intelligent Fish still must complete its site plan and State Environmental Quality Review.
“But I don’t see anything complicated in that,” he said. “The ball is in Intelligent Fish’s court, but I don’t expect there to be any problems.”