By Jim Poole
Bill Cherry is getting up to speed on economic development.
The county Treasurer is planning a partnership with the Planning and Development Office and the Industrial Development Agency to bring more jobs to Schoharie County.
Bringing more jobs is the long-term goal. Short-term, Mr. Cherry is setting up shop.
County supervisors shifted the responsibility of economic development from Planning and Development to Mr. Cherry last month, shortly after he negotiated sale of Guilford Mills to Green Recycling Solutions International.
"That was a big part of it," then-board Chairman Tony Van Glad said of the Guilford sale influencing the shift.
"Let's see what happens with economic development. A lot of supervisors felt this was the way to go."
So does Mr. Cherry. He wants to create a new network of local and state economic development experts, including Planning and the IDA.
"I want to build that bridge with people who know more about economic development than I do," Mr. Cherry said.
He's hoping the Guilford sale and GRSI's arrival will attract more interest in Schoharie County. Also, Mr. Cherry is looking to use the START-UP NEW YORK program, which attracted GRSI.
START-UP, coordinated locally by SUNY Cobleskill, offers companies income-tax-free status for 10 years, a strong draw.
"I don't want to ignore this," Mr. Cherry said. "Working in a partnership with SUNY is an exciting opportunity."
Another tool he may use is a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, which also figured in the Guilford sale.
Although some view PILOTs as tax breaks, Mr. Cherry said they can be used creatively. He pointed to three he worked on as out of the ordinary:
One with GRSI would bring jobs here; another with Iroquois Gas will end a long lawsuit; and a third with the Wal-Mart Distribution Center will keep jobs.
"PILOTs are not always tax breaks," Mr. Cherry said. "I want them to be innovative, and Ron Filmer and Dr. [Thomas] Greenlees of the IDA have been very helpful that way."
He also sees himself as selling the county to potential employers, with the overall goal of drawing new jobs.
"Jobs come first," Mr. Cherry said. "When jobs are in place, people will come, like iron filings to a magnet."
Mr. Cherry, who'll continue as treasurer, won't do this alone. Shane Nickle and his staff at Planning and Development have a key role, too.
Mr. Nickle's office will be processing grant applications that are in the works and may be made in the future.
"We're checking what grants are open and assigning people to those tasks," said Mr. Nickle, adding that his staff and Mr. Cherry's staff met Monday.
Mr. Nickle sees the arrangement as a cooperative effort between the two offices, with Mr. Cherry leading economic development and giving direction to the planning office.
"I look at this as we all work for the county, and we're doing what we can to make the county better," Mr. Nickle said.