County chips in to save 120 jobs in Norwich
NORWICH – Commerce Chenango’s attempt to redeem the 120-member workforce at Norwich Aero is getting a financial boost from the Chenango County Board of Supervisors.
In light of news that Norwich Aero will leave the area by the end of the year, Commerce Chenango has made it a top priority to help sell the 57,000 square foot manufacturing facility on O’Hara Drive to another manufacturer and spare Norwich Aero’s 120 full-time and part-time staffers from unemployment.
In January 2014, Esterline, the parent company of Norwich Aero, announced plans to close the Norwich plant by the end of 2015. All U.S. production currently performed in Norwich will be relocated to another manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico, but the company has no plans of relocating its Norwich-based workforce.
Commerce Chenango is reaching out to other manufacturers in hopes of selling the Norwich Aero facility and the workforce as a package deal. Last month, Commerce Chenango launched the website 50oharadrive.com to showcase the manufacturing capabilities of the Norwich Aero plant. It is also networking with manufacturers at national trade shows to spark buyer interest.
But Commerce Chenango’s marketing campaign comes at a higher cost than what it has budgeted. On Monday, members of the Board of Supervisors voted to pitch in an additional $15,000 to support marketing and advertising efforts, saying that with so many jobs on the line, the county simply can’t afford not to do anything.
“If this goes someplace, I don’t know. But we are working on some things,” said Steve Palmatier, development consultant and mediator between the county and Commerce Chenango. “It takes a tremendous amount of effort, not just on my part, but on some of the other people at the Chamber (Commerce Chenango).
Last month, Palmatier and other representatives of Commerce Chenango attended a technical trade show in Massachusetts where they made initial contacts with more than 50 potential buyers, including one individual who said he’s considering pursuing a contract agreement with Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney, NY to manufacturer aluminum parts that the company doesn’t want to make in-house.
Palmatier said he’s also collaborating with a few other potential buyers, but couldn’t make details public at this time.
Palmatier is attending a similar trade show this week in New York. “It’s a unique opportunity and we’re taking a unique approach,” he added. “But what other options do we have?”
According to Palmatier, Commerce Chenango is approximately $7,500 over budget for marketing the Norwich Aero facility – largely because of the $5,800 cost of booth space at the trade show Massachusetts.
The $15,000 that was earmarked by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors on Monday will supplement a $108,700 contract the county already has with Commerce Chenango for the purpose of promoting business growth and development. That was a snag for some board members who questioned the merit of forking over more money for the recruitment of a successor employer for the Norwich Aero manufacturing site.
“I wonder if we're going to pay for this (service) twice,” said Lincklaen Town Supervisor Wayne Outwater. Outwater pointed out that in addition to the contract with Commerce Chenango, the county’s also paying $13,000 this year for services from Palmatier’s consulting firm, Walking Ridge Development. He also questioned if county officials formally requested financial assistance from the City of Norwich to help pay for the project.
“I think Steve’s doing an excellent job on this project. He’s really put his heart in it and done a tremendous job,” Outwater added. “But I really can’t vote for this resolution the way it stands.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Afton Supervisor John Lawrence who argued that county taxpayers shouldn’t shoulder the burden of saving Norwich Aero’s private workforce.
“I can understand reluctance to spend this money. This is a rather unique situation that we’re in,” said Guilford Supervisor George Seneck. “Steve’s approach is unique. If this is something we don’t take action on today, it’s going to pass us by, and our potential longterm impact of losing that many jobs in Chenango County is going to be devastating.”
“We can afford $15,000 if it means saving 120 jobs,” said Pete Flanagan, supervisor for the Town of Preston. “We have an opportunity to help here, and we should ... Shame on us if we don’t try.”
A resolution to foot the additional $15,000 for support for the recruitment of a successor employer for the Norwich Aero manufacturing facility was adopted by the board with only three board members – Outwater, Lawrence, and Smyrna Town Supervisor Michael Khoury – in opposition.
In light of news that Norwich Aero will leave the area by the end of the year, Commerce Chenango has made it a top priority to help sell the 57,000 square foot manufacturing facility on O’Hara Drive to another manufacturer and spare Norwich Aero’s 120 full-time and part-time staffers from unemployment.
In January 2014, Esterline, the parent company of Norwich Aero, announced plans to close the Norwich plant by the end of 2015. All U.S. production currently performed in Norwich will be relocated to another manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico, but the company has no plans of relocating its Norwich-based workforce.
Commerce Chenango is reaching out to other manufacturers in hopes of selling the Norwich Aero facility and the workforce as a package deal. Last month, Commerce Chenango launched the website 50oharadrive.com to showcase the manufacturing capabilities of the Norwich Aero plant. It is also networking with manufacturers at national trade shows to spark buyer interest.
But Commerce Chenango’s marketing campaign comes at a higher cost than what it has budgeted. On Monday, members of the Board of Supervisors voted to pitch in an additional $15,000 to support marketing and advertising efforts, saying that with so many jobs on the line, the county simply can’t afford not to do anything.
“If this goes someplace, I don’t know. But we are working on some things,” said Steve Palmatier, development consultant and mediator between the county and Commerce Chenango. “It takes a tremendous amount of effort, not just on my part, but on some of the other people at the Chamber (Commerce Chenango).
Last month, Palmatier and other representatives of Commerce Chenango attended a technical trade show in Massachusetts where they made initial contacts with more than 50 potential buyers, including one individual who said he’s considering pursuing a contract agreement with Amphenol Aerospace in Sidney, NY to manufacturer aluminum parts that the company doesn’t want to make in-house.
Palmatier said he’s also collaborating with a few other potential buyers, but couldn’t make details public at this time.
Palmatier is attending a similar trade show this week in New York. “It’s a unique opportunity and we’re taking a unique approach,” he added. “But what other options do we have?”
According to Palmatier, Commerce Chenango is approximately $7,500 over budget for marketing the Norwich Aero facility – largely because of the $5,800 cost of booth space at the trade show Massachusetts.
The $15,000 that was earmarked by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors on Monday will supplement a $108,700 contract the county already has with Commerce Chenango for the purpose of promoting business growth and development. That was a snag for some board members who questioned the merit of forking over more money for the recruitment of a successor employer for the Norwich Aero manufacturing site.
“I wonder if we're going to pay for this (service) twice,” said Lincklaen Town Supervisor Wayne Outwater. Outwater pointed out that in addition to the contract with Commerce Chenango, the county’s also paying $13,000 this year for services from Palmatier’s consulting firm, Walking Ridge Development. He also questioned if county officials formally requested financial assistance from the City of Norwich to help pay for the project.
“I think Steve’s doing an excellent job on this project. He’s really put his heart in it and done a tremendous job,” Outwater added. “But I really can’t vote for this resolution the way it stands.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Afton Supervisor John Lawrence who argued that county taxpayers shouldn’t shoulder the burden of saving Norwich Aero’s private workforce.
“I can understand reluctance to spend this money. This is a rather unique situation that we’re in,” said Guilford Supervisor George Seneck. “Steve’s approach is unique. If this is something we don’t take action on today, it’s going to pass us by, and our potential longterm impact of losing that many jobs in Chenango County is going to be devastating.”
“We can afford $15,000 if it means saving 120 jobs,” said Pete Flanagan, supervisor for the Town of Preston. “We have an opportunity to help here, and we should ... Shame on us if we don’t try.”
A resolution to foot the additional $15,000 for support for the recruitment of a successor employer for the Norwich Aero manufacturing facility was adopted by the board with only three board members – Outwater, Lawrence, and Smyrna Town Supervisor Michael Khoury – in opposition.
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