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Chamber of Commerce’s State of Auburn & Cayuga County: What to Expect in 2023-2024

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Residents from Auburn and Cayuga County were at Auburn Public Theater Thursday morning for the return of the in person State of the City and State of the County presentations presented by the Chamber of Commerce.

Attendees were able to hear about the city and county’s accomplishments over the past year as well as their plans for the future.

City Manager Jeff Dygert and Mayor Mike Quill spoke for the city, mentioning the its achievements for 2022 such as the rollout of officer worn body cameras for the Auburn Police Department and that the city’s ambulance service, which is just over a year old, saw 7,100 calls for service the past year. Other improvements for the city include the new fire station which not only houses firefighters but serves as a place for training, blood drives, and polling during elections, Dygert also touted paving work on East Hill and new street lighting for Technology Park.

Cayuga County Legislature Chair David Gould, Operations Officer Shereen Androsko, and Planning & Economic Development Director Steve Lynch represented the county.

Chairman Gould spoke of the change that will come as the legislature shrinks from 15 down to 11 legislators and the completion of work on the Ledyard and Ridge Road bridges.

Taking a look at 2023-2024, both the city and county are working to ensure that they will benefit from the Micron semiconductor facility coming to the Town of Clay in Onondaga County, a mere 35 miles from the county border. Both governments are also working toward renovations to the former post office which currently houses Auburn City Court and Family Court for the entire county.

With water quality being on the minds of many in the Finger Lakes, both city and county officials brought up the passing of the 9 Element Plan for Owasco Lake and the promise from New York State to work on the Owasco Lake Watershed’s updated rules and regulations.

In the city, work will take place on Auburn Community Hospital’s new cancer treatment center, a partnership with SUNY Upstate that will allow residents to get treatment locally instead of driving to Rochester or Syracuse. The hospital will also take $20-million dollars in grant funding to expand its operating rooms and cardiac care facilities.

During his time to speak, Dygert said he is hopeful that Alstom, the current owners of the former Alco/Bombardier building on Columbus Street, will be able to work with the city to put the property back in use.

Work will also begin on the new skate park coming to Casey Park and improvements to the Auburn’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (an $84-million investment), Combined Sewer Overflow System, and City Hall. The city will also use Touring Routes Funding to begin the installation of visual traffic detection equipment to better synchronize traffic lights at intersections.

After a multiyear process, the Auburn Police Department hopes to become an accredited police agency this Fall.

Chairman Gould said he is hoping to create a Grant Manager position to help apply for state and federal funding.

The county will take $4-million received in ARPA and other funding for its DREAMS records digitization project. The project will make record access easier, allow for better preservation of documents, and reduce the county’s paper waste.

Following up on the $2.25-million dollars the Village of Moravia received through a NY Forward Grant, the county is working on applications for several other municipalities within it.

Other planned improvements include upgrades to the County Office Building, which could include an expansion, the Sterling Nature Center (with an expected completion date of October, 2023), and finalizing plans for the Fire Training Center for departments across the county to use.

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