Contact:  Regina Venettozzi

Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace, Jr. and the Oneida County Board of Legislators have announced seven awards to date as part of a major new neighborhood development program in Oneida County called, "Neighborhood Empowerment Works – NEW Neighborhoods". The program’s purpose is to empower residents to plan and/or implement reinvestment plans for the improvement of various aspects of their neighborhoods. These efforts include organization, improving the physical environment, coordination with other ongoing City/County neighborhood programs and identification of quality of life issues. The initiative, established in February, will distribute up to $200,000 this spring to communities and organizations that want to reinvest in their neighborhoods. Regina Venettozzi, Senior Planner, Oneida County Department of Planning said, " Now that they have been funded we plan to assist the communities in the implementation phase of their project. We expect all project work to be completed by December 31,2000."

The awards to date:

• Village of Camden - $20,000 – Sidewalk installation project along South Elm and South Fayette Streets;

• Village of Vernon - $5,000 – Bartholomew Park restroom refurbishing;

• Village of Bridgewater - $5,000 – Village beautification project with installation of village signs and sidewalks;

• Town of Bridgewater - $5,000 – Bridgewater Town Park improvements;

• Village of Prospect - $20,000 – Union Park Reinvestment Project;

• Utica Community Action, Inc./Village of Sylvan Beach - $5,000 – Village park improvements; and

• Remsen Development Corporation - $20,000 – Remsen Development Corridor Improvements.

Eannace said, "Nowhere in the Mohawk Valley is community spirit more evident than in our neighborhoods. This program will build on that spirit bringing neighbors together to revitalize their communities. Also this allows neighborhood associations to work with us on looking for community investment dollars from other government or private sources. We can help to find the sources of funds to rebuild our own neighborhoods, and with that to reach out for new State and Federal investment as well. This is proving to be a ‘win-win-win’." Additional awards will be announced over the next two weeks.