Oswego trustees approve incentive and utility easement to resolve long-running 19 East Jackson property issue

The Village of Oswego Board of Trustees voted to approve an economic incentive agreement and a related utility-easement resolution on the issue of utility service to 19 East Jackson Street.

Kevin, a village staff member who presented the request, told trustees the applicant was seeking up to $38,672 toward a project budgeted at up to $77,345 to separate water and sanitary connections for 19 East Jackson Street. Kevin said the preferred construction method is directional boring to avoid disturbance to the adjacent Chamber building’s patio and shed; that option was quoted at about $74,870. Kevin also told the board that awarding the grant tonight "would leave roughly about $5,000 left in the fund," but said staff could bring additional projects to the board for consideration if the board wished to exceed the year's budget for the right project.

The board approved the ordinance authorizing the economic incentive as amended by roll call (all voting trustees recorded as "yes" on the transcript). Trustees also approved a separate resolution authorizing an agreement between the owner of 19 East Jackson Street and the Chamber building at 25 East Jackson to grant temporary and permanent utility easements so the work can proceed.

Nut graf: The two actions together resolve a long-standing utility split problem that developed after a single lot along East Jackson was subdivided years ago. Village staff said the agreements will allow utilities to be split with minimal disruption and to settle prior easement and ownership complications that had hindered improvements.

Board discussion and context: Kevin explained that decades earlier the lots had been treated as a single parcel and utilities were run under the understanding that the lot would not be subdivided; later subdivision created two owners and the need to split services. Kevin told trustees both the applicant and the Chamber preferred the directional-bore option because it avoids cutting through the parking lot and disturbing the Chamber’s outdoor amenities. The applicant, identified in the record as Peter Metro, and his wife, Christine, were present to answer questions.

Several trustees said they supported the request but raised a related budget concern: the downtown incentive fund would be nearly exhausted for the calendar year if the board approved the full amount. One trustee proposed discussing whether to permit additional awards before the end of the year; staff recommended bringing the subject back to a Committee of the Whole (COW) so the board could consider whether to authorize a third project this year on a case-by-case basis.

Formal actions and outcomes: The board approved (1) an ordinance authorizing an economic incentive agreement between the Village of Oswego and 19 Jackson Street, LLC for work at 19 East Jackson Street, and (2) a resolution approving a sewer and water service agreement and utility easement between 19 East Jackson Street and the Chamber building at 25 East Jackson Street. The ordinance authorizing the economic incentive was described in the meeting as "approved as amended," and recorded roll-call votes in the transcript show the trustees present voted in favor. The resolution on utility service also passed by roll call with affirmative votes recorded.

What remains: Staff said it will finalize the contracts and the easement documents and schedule the work. Kevin indicated the village would consider additional applicants later in the year if projects were deemed valuable and the board agreed to exceed the budget on a case-by-case basis.

Quote: "There was an application for consideration tonight, which would leave roughly about $5,000 left in the fund," Kevin said, describing the remaining balance in the downtown incentive fund and the practical limits of promoting additional projects immediately.

Ending: Trustees congratulated the applicant and the Chamber and thanked staff for working to resolve a multi-decade issue. The approvals clear the way for construction to split utilities with minimal disruption to the downtown property.