Cortland County businesses will be able to modernize and expand with state grants announced recently by the state’s Regional Economic Development Council.
Cortland Line Holdings LLC, a fishing gear manufacturer, will use $133,000 for manufacturing improvements and to develop new technologies at its Cortland facility. The project includes building renovations and the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment.
“It feels great. We’re going to use the money specifically to buy a large piece of equipment to help the manufacturing process here, and we’re doing a LED lighting operation as well.” Cortland Line Co. corporate Controller John Kindon said. “We’re buying a large extruder, which will allow us to do all sorts of different things with our flyline, so that’s a big piece of equipment we put on this particular grant.”
The REDC funds come from a variety of state sources. In Cortland Line’s case, the money comes from the state Homes and Community Renewal program, through a Community Development Block Grant.
Cortland Precision Eforming LLC., a metal supplier, will modernize its facility in Cortlandville.
Business Operation Manager Megan Morrison spoke about the president of the company’s reaction to the news, “It was incredible, she was in the other room, and I could hear her say ‘wow’ and went running in and she was so excited.” The $78,827 will go toward increasing efficiency and output while decreasing the company’s carbon footprint.
The city of Cortland was awarded $675,000 for the Randall Park improvements project. Following the opening of the pickleball courts in July, the Cortland Common Council voted unanimously to seek a grant to fix the bathroom. The city will reconstruct a multipurpose bathroom facility with an attached shelter, to replace the existing “small” and “nonfunctioning” bathroom.
The city will also use $1 million in funds to replace an aging fire department ladder truck. At the start of December, the city received preliminary notice that it had won the grant to defray the cost of a $2.2 million aerial ladder for its fire department.
Other greater Cortland area organizations also have money heading their way:
•Ducks Unlimited Inc. will use $252,436 to restore a wetland in the Owasco Flats Wildlife Management Area in Moravia. The goal of the project is to provide a habitat for birds and other wildlife, help mitigate flood damage and improve water quality.
•Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District will use $155,000 to implement a streambank stabilization project in DeRuyter. The goal is to reduce erosion and nutrient loading to nearby DeRuyter Lake, through the use of natural stream channel design with step pools, cross vanes and a riparian buffer.
•The village of Groton will use $44,000 to conduct a housing conditions assessment.
