Oneida County Executive Picente Outlines Plans For Oneida Nation Settlement Funds In Utica

The City of Utica is eligible for up to $5 million dollars in funding per year from the Oneida Nation Settlement with Oneida County.

County Executive Anthony Picente addressed the Utica Common Council on Wednesday where he laid out his plan for use of the Oneida Nation settlement money.

The $5 million will be split between infrastructure, economic development, public safety, arts and culture and education.

Picente said there will be a $1 million incentive for any developer who is willing to invest in revitalizing downtown Utica.

That incentive will be used to pay off interest rates on loans a developer uses to renovate or build housing for up to 15 years.

Another million will be allocated for the cities of Utica and Rome to improve infrastructure.

This applies only to new infrastructure or development projects in both cities. Picente said the goal is not to use this funding to pay off debts or complete existing projects.

The education portion of the funding will be used for STEM projects in Utica's public schools and Notre Dame, with each qualifying school eligible for up to $500,000.

Picente told the Common Council the county is looking to improve parking in downtown Utica, especially around the County Office Building and courthouse, where his office has secured three parcels on Elizabeth Street that will be turned into 160 parking spaces.

The County Executive also told council members he has a goal to win one of three $500 million Upstate Revitalization prizes that are part of Governor Cuomo's 2015 Opportunity Agenda and he hopes to work with Utica and the rest of Oneida County to achieve that goal.

Additional funding will also go towards training new firefighters and bullet-proof vests for police.

Through the settlement with the Oneida Nation, Oneida County will receive $12.5 million per year.