The Oneonta Finance Committee talked over a variety of subject areas during its Monday night time meeting including the Oneonta Theatre and health insurance policies for workforce.

The city of Oneonta, on behalf of the group that owns the Oneonta Theatre, is in the course of action of implementing for up to $500,000 New York Key Street Downtown Stabilization Undertaking grant that is available in the Consolidated Funding Application, Group Growth Director Judy Pangman stated.

Council Member Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, asked if the grant revenue would assistance repair the marquee. Pangman said it would not instead it would be used to stabilize the roof and take care of water challenges the theater has. The team would have to match a share of the funds to support with repairs, she mentioned.

She claimed the homeowners of the theater developing can only apply for one grant for each calendar year from the state and said in the long run, they could use for a organizing grant or as a downtown anchor small business grant.

“This is fascinating,” Council Member Kaytee Lipari Shue, D-Fourth Ward, reported. “I hope they get it.”

Pangman claimed the application is owing July 29, and requested the committee to ship a resolution to the council to vote on in July.

Pangman also talked about the Brownfield Prospect Locations Plan through the condition the software of which is also because of at the conclude of July. She explained the metropolis could use for up to $300,000 for a arranging grant.

“We really do not automatically have brownfields in the town, but the grant also handles slums and blighted places and locations not produced,” she mentioned.

She claimed in an email Tuesday, “We are hunting at the City’s Opportunity Zone, which is the census tract that involves the spot south of Major Avenue (Neahwa Park, Marketplace Street, Railyards, and many others.), and the Wells Avenue and Manufacturing unit Avenue spot.”

The grant would enable fund environmental surveys to decide if the locations are brownfields.

Carson questioned if the property looked at would be private or public. Pangman said they would be searching at privately owned homes in detail to identify if there are any brownfield places.

The committee also discussed a way to save cash on health insurance plan.

Personnel Director Katie Böttger claimed she and Finance Director Virginia Lee “have been brainstorming on well being insurance policy cost savings.”

1 way is to see if retired employees less than 65 are suitable to obtain Medicare simply because of a incapacity. Böttger explained every single man or woman who qualifies for Medicare would help save the city “tens of hundreds of dollars.”

She claimed a retiree who qualifies for Medicare would acquire positive aspects “nearly identical” to what they get now. However, they would also be suitable for listening to aids underneath Medicare, which isn’t protected below the present-day program, she stated.

She mentioned they would like the city to contract out with a organization that would interview retirees to see if they are qualified for Medicare.

If the enterprise finds a human being suitable for Medicare, the company would get $2,500 for each person.

The committee passed the resolution on to the comprehensive council.