At the town board meeting on Monday evening, the town of Lancaster voted to approve a new housing development on Pavement Rd near Broadway. The subdivision would be composed of 21 single family homes, built by Clover Construction Management.
Councilwoman Donna Stempniak was the sponsor of the proposition. She states that the subdivision will help meet the needs for additional housing in the area. One concern raised was the use of a cul-de-sac at the end of the development, which are harder to maintain during the winter months. Because of the shape of the tract of land, however, a cul-de-sac is the only viable option.
[Buffalo News]
The Erie County Industrial Development Agency has granted incentive packages to 6 developments, helping to spur industrial and commercial expansion throughout the county. John Cappellino, ECIDA executive vice president, hopes that this is a sign of a rebounding local economy.
I Squared R Element Co in Akron will receive $676,000 toward a $5.2 million expansion project, to add a 36,000 sqft warehouse space to their existing facility. The expansion should also allow the company to add 20 jobs.
Derrick Corp will receive $2.86 million toward a $19.5 million expansion project. They are adding a 124,000 sqft plant to their existing 230,000 sqft facility, and creating an additional 36 new jobs.
Ricotta & Visco was approved for a $232,000 package, to help finance a $1.5 million renovation of a century old office building on Main St. This building will eventually become their new offices. They expect to add 3 people to their staff once in the new building.
University Pediatric Dentistry was approved for $90,000 toward a $1.26 million development project, which will help them in the building of a new clinic on Main St, near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Their project is expected to add 20 jobs.
McGard Inc was approved for $482,000 to help finance a $5 million expansion of their manufacturing facility. They also expect to add 20 jobs with the addition.
Full article at [Buffalo Business First].
Four towns in Niagara County may be coming together in an effort to bring reduced cost electric to their communities. Leaders from the Town of Niagara, Lewiston, Porter, and the Village of Youngstown met in a very preliminary discussion on just what it would take to make electric a government run utility in their communities, and what the impact would be financially to the community and the private citizen. Leaders have realized that National Grid is charging 22 cents per kilowatt, which they are purchasing from the New York Power Authority for 1.5 cents per killowatt. Something just doesn’t add up.
Leaders met with Alfred Coppola, who was leading an initiative in the City of Buffalo to put electric in the hands of the government. Among the topics discussed were the successes other municipalities have had, both in New York and elsewhere, as well as the roadblocks he faced along the way. He pointed out Akron, NY which runs their electric utility on a 4 employee crew, and is able to deliver electric at a drastically reduced cost to their community. According to Coppola, Perry’s Ice Cream stays in Akron for that very reason.
Coppola also stated the next step would be a feasibility study, to determine what sort of costs would be associated with taking control of the grid, including purchasing the infrastructure and other necessities. Local leaders plan to meet with consultants in the near future.
[The Buffalo News]
A colleague referred me to this document recently while we were having coffee. I decided to give it a look over, and found that a lot of these principles can be applied to my own business – perhaps you can apply them to yours as well?
1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that, when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose, you may get it.
6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
