By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
The Olean Common Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to contract with a company for 12 months to recruit five families to live and work in Olean.
Keri Kerper, director of Office of Community Development, told aldermen that the $50,000 cost for the MakeMyMove program could come from the city’s bed tax revenues.
The MakeMy Move program will target remote workers who live a minimum 100-mile radius and who have a $75,000 minimum remote income and a spouse with a $55,000 income, Kerper said.
That’s more than $530,000 in new economic growth and taxes coming into the community, she emphasized. “It’s an economic driver.”
Alderman Joseph Keary, R-Ward 2, noted the recruitment is only part of the equation. What about housing and jobs? he asked.
Ward 7 Democrat David Anastasia, said he didn’t understand the program’s costs, broken down to $30,000 plus $20,000 for incentives. “It’s the only city in New York with a contract,” he said. “What about using some of the (bed tax) money to fix the pool?”
Council President Vernon Robinson Jr., I-Ward 6, said the city is “very much marketable. This is an area that people will be willing to move to, especially those that are living in a much larger city that will prefer a smaller area, but do it remotely. I believe that this is a good program.”
Alderman Lawrence Bennion Jr., R-Ward 1, said he liked the idea of the program, but had hoped the cost of recruiting by the company would be lower — especially if Olean were the first city in New York state to participate.
Anastasia was the only alderman to vote against the recruiting proposal. Alderman John Crawford, D-Ward 5, was absent.
During last year’s campaign, Mayor Amy B. Sherburne spoke of the potential for attracting remote workers to the city with its Internet infrastructure.
In another matter, aldermen voted unanimously to transfer $200,000 from the sewer fund balance to a new account to cover costs of litigation with the Village of Allegany, St. Bonaventure University and a portion of the town of Allegany over sewage fees paid to the city.
Last year, former Mayor Bill Aiello said Allegany sewer fees, including late fees, were in excess of $7.3 million.
The city notified the village, university and town six years ago that a 40-year agreement on sewer fees had expired and new fees would have to be negotiated.
The council agreed to a request from the mayor to transfer $4,185 from the First Time Homebuyer account to the mayor’s celebration account for the county’s 250th anniversary on July 4.
Aldermen also approved a $85 a day fee for use of the pavilion in the new Marcus Park. It is the same rental fee charged for pavilions in other city parks.
