St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency
Mission Statement
(Reviewed and Reaffirmed in Public Session on February 27, 2013)
The mission of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency is to promote, encourage,
attract and develop job opportunities and economically sound commerce and industry in St. Lawrence
County. To accomplish its mission, the IDA constructs and owns industrial sites and buildings,
administers loan packaging and industrial revenue bond financing and provides a variety of taxreduction incentives.
Performance Goals

To create new employment opportunities for St. Lawrence County citizens through the attraction
of or the creation of new businesses

To create new employment opportunities for St. Lawrence County citizens through the expansion
of existing businesses

To retain existing employment opportunities

To leverage the greatest level of private investment in St. Lawrence County businesses

To educate County businesses, elected officials and community representatives regarding
available economic development resources

Act as a liaison with businesses and government to help coordinate economic development
services and reduce bureaucracy

Work cooperatively with area economic development agencies to market County assets and
economic development resources to potential new or expanding businesses

Ensure a transparent and accountable operation with responsibly-managed Agency assets
2012 Performance Review (January 2012 – December 2012)

As part of its Public Authority Law compliance program, the SLCIDA adopted “Procurement
Lobbying Law Policy and Procedures”, and “Policy Prohibiting Loans and Credit to Officers,
Directors and Employees.” Additionally, the SLCIDA reviewed and reaffirmed policies regarding
Corporate Credit Card Usage, Cellular Phone Usage, Property Disposition, Investment, and
Procurement, along with reviewing its performance for 2011.

Danko Construction Company (Massena NY) began work in June on the SLCIDA’s mixed-use
industrial building within the Canton Industrial Park. SLCIDA received loan financing assistance
for the project from the SLCIDA-Local Development Corporation and the St. Lawrence River
Valley Redevelopment Agency. The SLCIDA moved into its space in the building in December.

The SLCIDA’s first tenant in the Canton Industrial Park building, the St. Lawrence Brewing
Company, is leasing approximately 3,060 square feet in the facility. The project includes a Sales
and Use Tax exemption and Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement from the SLCIDA as the
Company works to start operation of the area’s first locally-owned microbrewery. The project
will create 5 jobs.

The SLCIDA continues to assist Kinney Drugs as it works to address water pressure issues within
its Gouverneur building. A sales and use tax exemption granted to Kinney Drugs will assist them
with purchases related to their project to upgrade their administrative and fire systems within
their Gouverneur locations. The project will help to retain the more than 300 jobs in Gouverneur.

Site visits to SLCIDA business customer locations were conducted throughout January as part of
the SLCIDA’s annual report process. Additional site visits and interviews were conducted as part
of the SLCIDA’s partnership and sponsorship responsibilities through the North Country Alliance
Local Development Corporation. In all, our staff made over 2,100 contacts with over 500 existing
and prospective firms in 2012.

The Newton Falls Rail rehabilitation project continues to make progress. SLCIDA staff are
working with Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad Company and officials from Jefferson
and Lewis counties to bring rail transportation back to the area. The project is now going to be
addressed in 2 phases: Phase 1 (clearing, evaluation and design, permitting, environmental) and Phase
2 (actual work to rehabilitate).

The SLCIDA reached a settlement with the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad
Corporation regarding the ownership of the rail. The MANRR received an authorization of
financial assistance from the SLCIDA in the form of sales tax exemption, mortgage recording tax
exemption, payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), in addition to a lease agreement and operating
agreement. The SLCIDA will be scheduling a public hearing for the PILOT on the project in the
very near future.

A newly-implemented, single-agenda program to consolidate SLCIDA, SLCIDA-LDC and
SLCIDA-CDC meeting materials has been well-received by Board members and staff.

A consolidated application has been created and implemented for use. The document simplifies
the application process for our business customers.

Having received authorization to apply to the USDA Rural Business Enterprise Program on behalf
of small private business enterprises in St. Lawrence County, SLCIDA staff submitted two (2)
applications: St. Lawrence Brewing Company and High Peaks Winery, LLC. The application for
$14,600 on behalf of High Peaks Winery, LLC was awarded.

Thomas A. Plastino was appointed the SLCIDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer / Chief Financial
Officer in March of 2012. Mr. Plastino will continue in his role as the St. Lawrence County
Workforce Investment Board’s part-time Executive Director.

The power agreement between the Massena Electric Department and the New York Power
Authority received support from the SLCIDA in March of 2012. The contract was signed by
Governor Cuomo in August.

The Agency’s 2011 Annual Report to the NYS Authorities Budget Office was completed in March
of 2012. Copies of the report, along with the associated audited financial statements for 2011,
were provided to the County Legislature in April 2012.

Clearwater Paper’s Railroad Trestle project received CFA funding through the NYS Department
of Transportation. As regulations require the trestle owner to be a public body, SLCIDA will
assume title ownership of the rail for the duration of the life of the trestle. A public hearing on the
project was held May 16, 2012 and the PILOT approved by the SLCIDA at its May 17, 2012
meeting.

The SLCIDA hosted a free “Renew St. Lawrence County Business Energy” breakfast and
workshop in April.

The SLCIDA held three Countywide Economic Developers meetings to ensure coordination of
Countywide marketing efforts, strategic objectives and general operating activities of the local,
county and regional developers.

SLCIDA’s Annual Meeting was held July 11, 2012. The board re-elected Brian Staples as
Chairman, Ernest LaBaff as Vice-Chairman, Lynn Blevins as Secretary. Additionally, it
reappointed Patrick Kelly as its Chief Executive Officer, Tom Plastino as its Chief Financial
Officer and retained Andrew Silver of Silver and Collins, Attorneys at Law, as Legal Counsel.

The SLCIDA, also at its Annual Meeting, approved its Standard Work Day and Reporting
Resolution (a requirement of the NYS Comptroller for the Local Retirement System). The SLCIDA
also adopted an Affirmative Action Plan. The SLCIDA Chairman has appointed the Human
Resources Coordinator as its Affirmative Action Officer. The guidelines are available on our
website at: http://www.slcida.com/about-the-slc-ida/bylaws-policies.html.

The Annual Meeting was held at Clarkson University. Clarkson President Tony Collins addressed
the Agency and highlights the connections between the college, the IDA, the Regional
Development Council and economic development in the North Country.

The SLCIDA revised its local Freedom of Information Law guidelines to ensure better uniformity
of the policy as it pertains to the IDA, the IDALDC and the IDACDC. Our Freedom of
Information Law guidelines are located on our website at: http://www.slcida.com/contactus/public-access-to-records.html

Fockler Industries, LLC, needing to expand its fabrication operations, leased space within the
Massena Industrial Park for use in warehousing and light manufacturing. The St. Lawrence
County Industrial Development Agency executed a 40-month lease and Standard Payment in Lieu
of Tax agreement for approximately 9,000 square feet of space within the Lot 19 building at the
Massena Industrial Park. The Company has the option to purchase the building for $425,000.
The project is expected to retain 7 jobs and create 5 jobs.

In 2007, Curran Renewable Energy, LLC, located its pellet mill facility in two vacant buildings
formerly occupied by supplier companies to General Motors in the Massena Industrial Park. This
pellet mill required an investment of over $11 Million and created 23 jobs in Massena.
In 2010, the St. Lawrence County IDA entered into a purchase option with Curran Renewable
Energy, LLC for the Lots 12 and 13 properties in the Massena Industrial Park. In 2012, Curran
Renewable Energy LLC submitted an application for financial assistance to purchase 26 Trade
Road, Lot 13 of the Massena Industrial Park. The Company will use the building for warehousing
and future expansion. The St. Lawrence County Industrial Development authorized a Sales and
Use Tax Exemption and a standard Payment In Lieu of Tax Agreement for the 20,000 square foot
facility.

The audit firm of Pinto, Mucenski, Hooper, VanHouse & Co. was awarded the SLCIDA’s 3-year
Audit Services Contract. Of the bids received by the IDA, 1 was incomplete (lacking signed noncollusion statement) and 1 firm, after receiving clarification of the scope of the bid, requested that
its bid be withdrawn. Two were disregarded based on cost. The two remaining bids were both
from qualified firms, and ultimately the Audit and Finance Committee chose to recommend the
firm of Pinto Mucenski Hooper VanHouse and Co. as they were a St. Lawrence County-based firm
and have a proven history with the St. Lawrence County IDA and its affiliates.

The SLCIDA accepted a tentative 2013 budget at its meeting on September 27. Pursuant to
General Municipal Law, the budget, must be available for public comment for 20 days before
acceptance of a final budget, and will be filed with the County Clerk, the County Legislative Chair
and the County CEO. Pursuant to Public Authority Law, the budget must be in place between 60
and 90 days prior to the beginning of the Fiscal Year, and will be authorized by the SLCIDA at its
October 25 meeting.

AJ Missert, Inc. received assistance from the SLCIDA in the form of sales and use tax exemption
and Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement as the Company expands its warehousing operations in
Ogdensburg. The project will assist in the retention of 23 jobs..

The SLCIDA authorized a settlement for claims filed in Ogdensburg City Court by Penet Empire,
LLC, FH Phinney, and HC Livingston, Jr. against the SLCIDA.

The SLCIDA negotiated a modification of its contract with St. Lawrence County, extending the
term through December 2015 and modifying the payment provision for 2013 through 2015 to
$400,000 annually.

SLCIDA staff met with the County Board of Assessors to discuss how the IDA can provide
assistance to the assessors as they work on IDA-related projects. SLCIDA also provided the
Assessors with an overview of SLCIDA services.

The SLCIDA responded to 8 requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Affinity Potsdam Cottages applied to the SLCIDA for assistance relative to its project to construct
approximately 200 housing units in Potsdam. The project received Sales and Use Tax and
Mortgage Recording Tax exemption. An application for a Payment In Lieu of Taxes agreement did
not receive the required consent of the three local affected taxing jurisdictions. The $18M project
is expected to create 6 jobs, along with 25 to 30 jobs during the construction phase.

The IDA participated in a number of working groups and committees in support of the North
Country Regional Economic Development Council (NCREDC) process. A Consolidated Funding
Application submitted by the IDA for $60,000 for renovations and improvements to the Lot 18 and
19 buildings owned by the SLCIDA-LDC and RVRDA in the Massena Industrial Park was
approved.

The SLCIDA’s Sales and Use Tax Exemption and PILOT continue to assist St. Lawrence Gas as it
continues with its expansion project in Northeast St. Lawrence County and into Franklin County.
St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency
Additional Questions
1.
Have the board members acknowledged that they have read and understood the mission of
the public authority?
ANS: Yes – the Board members reviewed and approved (by formal action) the mission
statement and performance measures of the board.
2.
Who has the power to appoint the management of the public authority?
ANS: Management is appointed by the board members of the authority.
3.
If the Board appoints management, do you have a policy you follow when appointing the
management of the public authority?
ANS: The board of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency appoints its Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Executive Officer appoints
management and staff.
4.
Briefly describe the role of the Board and the role of management in the implementation of
the mission.
ANS: The Board, with assistance of management, works to develop the authority’s mission, and
evaluate the authority’s goals and performance.
Management ensures that the Board’s mission and goals are carried out in a manner which
achieves the intended public purpose - a process involving program evaluation, reporting,
feedback and recommendation.
5.
Has the Board acknowledged that they have read and understood the responses to each of
these questions?
ANS: The Board acknowledges its understanding of this document by formally approving the
document in public session.