I n s I d e e x c e l l e n c e :

By Farah Jadran Pike

In today’s uncertain economic climate, homebuyers are faced with a dilemma that can affect their investment choices and future resale opportunities. Buying a home versus building a new home; each has its pros and cons, but it depends on what the house hunter wants in the end.

Buying Into the MarketSince 1939 Baker Real Estate has been helping people

find that home that is just right for them. In today’s market, there are several options when looking for an existing home that fits a buyer’s needs.

For example, getting into an established neighborhood is sometimes a deal breaker to homebuyers, said realtor Jack Baker.

“Some neighborhoods are historical,” Baker said. “They add value to a home.”

Location is generally key when house hunting, but other details to the home itself rank high on homebuyers’ lists. For instance, older hoems may contain individual characteristics like original crown molding, arch-ways, distinctive exterior architecture, or original wood floors.

“Existing homes offer that visual that models or drawings might not have,” Baker said.

While some homebuyers like homes with character, oth-ers look for the chance to keep some original details and then put their own print into the style of the home.

“Design and décor varies with each person’s taste,” Baker said. “People might not like the wallpaper or design you chose, but it’s easy to change.”

Small details like wall color or carpet are usually not on the list of worries for homebuyers because they know it’s something that changes with trends, he said. Part of the fun of buying a home is making it your own once you

move in.Redoing a kitchen or bathroom to fit your family’s needs

will always bring a return on investment when it’s time to sell, said Baker about renovations and remodeling in an older home.

Once a homebuyer finds that place that has the right number of bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage, it’s time to close the deal.

“Closings generally take 30 days or less,” Baker said. “People can get into a home much sooner than waiting for construction.”

Baker said new construction calls for buyers’ patience be-cause several factors go into building that dream home. Proj-

ects can take several months, and sometimes years.Dream it, then build it

With more than 48 years of experience, Merle Builders has been making dreams into a reality for many families build-ing their homes.

Although building a home takes a little more patience and

sometimes time, the end result is exactly what you envi-sioned, said Ron Merle of the home building business.

“Building a new home means better upgrades,” Merle said.

Merle Builders offers high performance energy saving home structures that not only look great, but save hom-eowners money each year. For example, building with newer raised heel trusses allows builders to construct a more insulated home that keeps warm in the winter and cool in

the summer.Cost effective features like

insulation and energy efficient appliances are some of the perks that come with building new, rather than buying an existing home.

“Building your home means choosing the amenities you want in the home,” Merle said.

During recent builds, Merle said people are choosing to have larger first floor master bedrooms and much more extravagant master bathrooms.

“People are choosing to have larger walk-in showers with several body sprays,” Merle said. These custom bathrooms allow the homebuyers to choose travertine tiles and custom vanities as they design the space they prefer.

According to Merle, bathrooms and kitchens are also some of the best rooms to customize because the return on investment is always good. In a recent build, that sold immediately, Merle said rustic knotted cherry was used for both the custom cabinetry and floors in the kitchen.

While some buyers have definite ideas for their dream home, others are welcome to some help from the builders themselves. Merle said his customers give him ideas to work with and anticipate some feedback for different ideas.

Building from the grounds up may take more time and could become a much larger investment than anticipated, but Merle said it pays off in the end.

“You get everything you wanted,” Merle said. “Resale doesn’t always offer that.”

House hunters: Should you

excellenceexcellence

Buy or build?

One house hunter’s view

Rachel Gillette is head of advertising services at Eagle Newspapers.

learn how local manufacturer comfort wIndows can save you

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page 3

New construction vs. older homes: our decision

“Some neighborhoods are historical. “They add value to a home.”

-Jack Baker, realtor

“Building a new home means better upgrades.”

-Ron Merle, homebuilder

By Rachel Gillette

New homes used to cost more than older homes in Central New York, but that is not true during my search right now in 2009. My husband and I are renting for a year to save money to buy something with more quality, a bigger lot size, and newer than our previous home that we sold in October of 2008. Our goal is to build a brand new home, so we can have

all of the amenities that we like without changing or updating a thing.

When we bought our last home we wanted to move up from a townhouse to owning our first real home. We didn’t have much time to find what we really wanted, as our townhouse sold faster than what we expected. We looked at about 10 older houses, knowing at the time new construction was way out of our league. We ended up picking a home that would suit our needs for a couple of years. My husband did a lot of cosmetic work within the two years that we owned the home. We made just enough to pay

the real estate agent to get out of the home. If we had money in the bank we could have bought a brand new home for what we just sold our old home for.

Our first priority was to check out local build-ers, compare cost per square foot and look at the quality of each build. I found it much easier to do this by going to open houses each weekend. Especially, knowing that we may be shopping way too soon and we do not want to waste an agent’s time during this process. I’ve been told that it takes at least six months of good shopping time when building a new home. I am hoping that

Three houses from $95K to $135K

$108,500: This 1,000-square-foot house was built in 2006 and has two bed-rooms, one-and-a-half baths.

$135,000: At 2,160 square feet, this house has four bedrooms, two full baths and was built in 1966.

$94,900: This three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath house has 1,100 square feet and was built in 1960.

Who says you can’t get a house for less than $100,000 anymore? The homes below can be viewed by calling John Baker at 635-1606

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page 5

tImber banks.....................2arxx...................................3comfort wIndows..........3hIlls heatIng...................3covanta energy................5occ....................................5 seneca federal..................5

Having a home built allows for customized features, both inside and out.

See House hunter on page 2

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Call a dealer near you -

* See us in the Syracuse Home Show.

Little Falls or Syracuse Lumber

Attn: Andy • 315-823-2470

Cazenovia LumberAttn: John G

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Knapp & SchlappiAttn: Steve

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Northern ConcreteAttn: Ray

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607-756-8871

January 28, 2009

Week twoSection oneSix Pages

a busIness and economIc forecast.

N E W S P A P E R S

2/excellence, january 28, 2009 excellence - at home - excellence

we will find a knowledgeable real estate agent during one of the open houses by the month of May. Both my husband and I have looked at

10 houses, new and old, and have found that for the price we would be paying for an older home with all the things to update, we can buy

a brand new for the same price. To say that we are excited is an

understatement. Now we are nar-rowing down those few Energy Star builders and saving up for the big move. Below are some advantages and disadvantages that I used when determining if new construction or an older home was right for our needs:

Buying an Older Home: pluses✓Old world construction. ✓Larger yard on average. ✓More character. ✓Longer-term neighbors. ✓Established neighborhood. ✓Mature trees and vegetation.

Older Homes: minuses✓More maintenance such as yard,

replacing the roof and hot water heater. ✓May need expensive remodeling

such as replacing wiring and plumbing. ✓Smaller closets, storage space and

garages. ✓Might require updates such as ap-

pliances and old flooring. ✓Often more expensive to heat

because of older windows. ✓Smaller square footage on average.

Buying a new home: pluses✓Modern conveniences.✓Builder's warranty.✓Energy efficient. ✓Built to code. ✓Greater square footage, on average.

Buying a new home: minuses✓Tract homes have similar floor

plans. A common word for this is cookie-cutter.

✓Immature or no vegetation. ✓House settling. ✓Longer commuting distances to

downtown.

For more than four years, Gary Pooler and Bill Price have been plan-ning with the Town of Lysander on an 885 acre development along the Sen-eca River. Timber Banks is a planned unit development with a Nicklaus Design 18 – hole championship golf course located in the Cold Springs Peninsula.

The concept of a ‘lifestyle’ com-munity with a golf course and marina has been the dream of Pooler Devel-opment owner Gary Pooler for more than a decade. “Gary has had this idea since the late ‘80’s”, said Price, President of Pooler Development.

Timber Banks has been planned based on the principles of Traditional Neighborhood Design with a mix of residential units including luxury apartments, townhomes, single family residents and estate homes encircled by the course. Timber Banks will also feature over two miles of nature trails adjacent to the river and sidewalks

throughout the development. “More than one half of the property will remain as open space, protecting valu-able woodlands, wetlands and wildlife habitat”, adds Price. “Residents and visitor will be able to experience won-derful mature natural setting.”

The main entrance off of River Road is flanked by the 12th and 13th holes of the Nicklaus course and along the Seneca River is the 65-slip marina offering access to the Erie Canal, Fin-ger Lakes and beyond. Live and work at Timber Banks

Timber Banks will feature a village or small town center with a higher den-sity core radiating out to lower density housing and open space. “Within the village center we will have buildings with retail and commercial space on the ground floor, with residential liv-ing on the second and third floors,” explains Price. “The ‘four corner’s” village center will offer a convenient place for residents to meet.” The neigh-borhood scale retail could include a coffee shop, fine bakery, deli, gym, clothing and salons. Residential variety

Timber Banks has four luxury apartment buildings and six model homes completed or under construc-tion. “We have residents living in the single family homes and luxury apartments now”, said Price. Pooler Development and the Town of Ly-sander worked together to come up with the zoning which allow flexibility and variety in the types of housing in Timber Banks. In all, there will be 665 residential units built over several phases.

“One of the true strengths of the Timber Banks Golf & Marina Com-munity is the quality of the builders who have joined with us,” explains Gary Pooler.

“The builders at Timber Banks collectively offer over 150 years of expe-rience in residential construction and craft the finest homes in Central and Upstate New York,” states Pooler.

Cromp Custom Builders have been building homes in Onon-daga County for over 25 years. Dave Cromp, President, is a” hands on builder.” He works with clients from the design phase through the construc-tion process and personally completes the final walk- through. Truly deliver-ing “hands on Craftsmanship” in every home. His attention to detail encompasses the building process along with the clients’ budget.

Harrington Homes was founded in 1986 by Mark Harrington, building superior homes throughout Central

New York. A family business, Mark is joined by his wife Karen and their son Michael Pettinato. Harrington Homes constructs both total custom designed homes and offers a portfolio of home designs which the customer is able to modify to fit their needs. Offering town homes, single level and two-story homes, Harrington Homes is willing to individualize a plan to each customer. Harrington Homes want to be “Your Builder for Life”, from your first house to your last house.

Heritage Homes Celebrating its 25th year, Heritage Homes builds fine homes throughout Onondaga and Madison Counties. Dan Bargabos, builder, offers attached and detached homes for discriminating buyers. Heritage Homes builds approximately 40 custom designed homes annu-ally. Dan has watched his home plans evolve over time. “We don’t drive the market, but rather our plans reflect the market,” explains Bargabos. Buyers appreciate and value the attention to detail throughout the building process. Each member of the Heri-tage team enjoys helping design and constructs every home with a ‘sense of pride’.

Kathy Kotz Homebuilder was formed in 1993, but Kathy Kotz brings more than 40 years experience to homebuilding in Onondaga County. She builds custom and semi-custom homes including townhouses, single floor ranch designs to the large estate homes. Each customer works directly with Kathy from the initial design con-cept through construction. Kathy Kotz believes it is listening to the customer that creates the sense of style and fam-ily memories. A Certified Green Builder, Kathy Kotz builds with up to date technology and amenities.

Merle Builders are Ron and Scott Merle and are second generation

builders in Onondaga County for more than 40 years. Working with experienced homebuyer, Ron and Scott build custom and semi-custom homes with outstanding architectural character, handcrafted interiors and careful workmanship throughout. Homebuyers work directly with Ron and Scott, who are on-site throughout construction. For any style or size home, Merle Builders include Energy Saving technologies and materials to create one of a kind homes.

Riedman Development and award-wining @Home Builders was begun in 1993, building across Upstate New York. A semi-custom builder, @ Home offers resort-style living and designs homes with a wealth of features and services to make life more enjoyable. Riedman also offers The Hammocks at Timber Banks, a luxury apartment project. Their clubhouse will open Feb. 1, including a home theater, exercise and business facilities and swimming pool. The clubhouse will be available to residents who build a town home or single fam-ily with @ Home Builders.

S&R Custom Homes, Bob and Sherry Rocco have been building distinctive new homes for 8 years in Camillus and surrounding areas. Bob has more than 20 years of experience in building homes. S & R offers an array of custom homes from Single Family, Patio Homes and Cottage Style Homes with options that let buy-ers customize their home.“We offer a combination of superior design and quality materials, where every detail is meticulously crafted,” states Sherry Rocco, whose goal is for each buyer to move into a home built to the highest standards.

For more information about Timber Banks Golf & Marina Community and contact infor-mation for the builders, visit timberbanks.com.

Timber Banks is a planned unit development with a Nicklaus Design 18 – hole championship golf course located in the Cold Springs Peninsula.

From page 1

House hunter

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Arxx ICFs go green

Save up to 40 percent on your energy billsYou can enhance the beauty

of your home and simultaneously protect it from the Central New York Climate. Liverpool, New York-based Comfort Windows, best known for their “locally manufactured” hand-crafted windows, leaves nothing to chance when it comes to quality. Its full line of windows are custom handcrafted using advanced green technologies and they’re warranted for life!

Comfort is unique in that it of-fers single source satisfaction. “By overseeing every piece from building our products to installation and ser-vice we have very tight control over quality,” said Alfred “Fritz” Gentile, Regional Vice President for Com-fort Windows. “Our staff is highly trained and experienced, and all our windows are installed by Comfort

Windows’ employees. We use no subcontractors. This dedication to quality control speaks volumes to our customers.”

In addition to windows, Comfort provides High Performance Door Systems, Structural Siding, Extended Living Sunrooms, Insulation and Basement Finishing.

Comfort Windows Co. is a fam-ily-owned business that opened its doors in 1979. Today, the company manufacturers its handcrafted, en-ergy saving windows from a 35,000 square-foot facility in Liverpool, and employs 200 people. The company also has retail showrooms and ware-house space in Albany, Syracuse and Rochester.

Central New York is renowned for its dramatic temperature changes and harsh winters, so Comfort’s products

need to stand strong against the ele-ments. “We put the very best into our products, from a variety of double and triple panes of custom glass with a choice of low-e coatings to options in the type of gas filling and exclusive Super Spacer technology. When temperatures change, insulating glass

expands and contracts. Super Spacer is flexible and has a ‘memory’ so it will expand and contract with the unit without breaking or cracking due to stress. It’s a vital component that helps our products maintain integrity and energy efficiency for the long-term,” Gentile said.

Energy efficiency and sustainability are also a concern for Comfort’s cus-tomers. In fact, the Comfort Home Improvement Division achieved the coveted New York Building Perfor-mance Institute (BPI) accreditation, which is reserved for companies that take a systematic approach to addressing all aspects of the building system with respect to health and safety, building durability and energy efficiency

Comfort conducts complete home energy exams, using an in-novative whole-house top to bottom energy inspection designed to analyze what will save you energy and money. This will determine the cause of any problems you may be experiencing and help gauge your home’s energy efficiency and durability. Following a Home Performance Assessment,

Comfort is pleased to help its valued customers every step of the way by providing the proper paperwork and suggesting appropriate programs to help achieve the highest efficiency levels for customers’ homes. As a BPI (Building Performance Institute) accredited organization, Comfort is authorized to provide valuable incentives to customers who make their homes more energy efficient by purchasing and installing a variety of ENERGY STAR-labeled products.

Comfort is a member in good standing of the Better Business Bu-reau and 3-time winner of their Torch Awards, honoring market place eth-ics, as well as a 2008 winner of Biz Events Fast Track 50 award, recogniz-ing the fastest growing companies in Central New York.

Hill’s Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.Comfort and energy efficiency for all seasons

By Georgia Keene

Hill’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. has served Central New York for 36 years. The staff sells, services, and installs ventila-tion, heat, and air conditioning systems as well as hearths. Hill’s Heating of Baldwinsville is well-equipped to meet your heating and air conditioning needs.

In addition to the office on River Road in Baldwinsville, there are Hill’s stores in Oswego and Auburn. All three locations have fireplace showrooms full of Kozy Heat and Napoleon brand fireplaces and hearth inserts. Their stores also include full sheet metal shops to allow custom fabrication of heating, ventilation, or AC systems. All of the Hill’s Heating locations have a huge parts and equipment inventory. Terry Hill, co-owner, said this provides a great benefit to customers, making repairs quicker.

Hill’s installs everything they sell, and offers 24-hour service. They offer Rheem, Amana, Napoleon, Thermo Pride, and Kozy Heating brand products. Hill’s approved products come with at least a five-year parts and labor warranty.

Hill’s Heating also sells and installs microprocessor control systems and steam boilers. They offer residential, commercial, and industrial equipment and service. Service contracts are available, stabilizing customers’ parts and labor costs when maintenance time comes around. Hill’s has a fleet of six fully-stocked trucks

that serve their more than 13,000 customers. Their service region stretches from Cortland to Pulaski and Utica to Geneva.

The company is a Rheem Top Contractor, meaning they have priority access to all technician service, parts, and equipment. This allows them to give their customers priority not only from Hill’s, but also from the factory in which the products were made.

Since last fall, the Efficiency Rheem Contour Furnace has been very popular. Hill said he expects this to be their biggest product in 2008. He explained that furnaces require a lot of money both for gas and to operate the blower. Lately, customers have been looking at the total operation cost of a furnace, not just the cost of

Arxx Building Products recently announced a merger with a multiple of companies to lead the way in the development of innovative green build-ing systems. The mergers create an unrivalled offering in the sustainable building market. Arxx is made from 47 percent recycled materials.

“Using the Arxx Wallsystem is just a smarter way to build, often being 40-50 percent more energy efficient, features better indoor air quality and are stronger to endure storms, and it’s cost effective” said Jefrey Martusewicz, president of Seaway Wall Distributing. A supplier to about 40 dealers in New York State, “Arxx Corporation saw a substantial growth even though we are in a building down turn says it all” “Now with Arxx turning it efforts more green just adds to our momentum”

Arxx Insulating concrete forms are easy to in-stall. They consist of two expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels connected by a polypropylene web. The forms are stacked on the jobsite, reinforced with rebar, then concrete is poured into the forms, creating an insulated, monolithic, concrete wall. The result is a wallsystem that is highly energy efficient. Unlike wood construction, there are no cavities or gaps where molds can proliferate

and the airtight construction enhances indoor air quality and reduces sound. The strength of the concrete walls makes them very popular in hazard-ous weather areas. Arxx meets major building code specifications is UL listed with two-to-four hour fire ratings. These qualities add up to a safer, stronger, more energy-smart building.

ARXX ICFs build sustainable foundation for every project – whatever design, shape, height or size – including theatres and auditoriums, schools, gymnasiums, condominiums, retail spaces, hotels and inns, wineries, office buildings, banks, retirement homes, healthcare facilities and places of worship, or your home.

Building with ARXX Building Products makes it easier to construct Energy Star homes, achieve LEED points for commercial and residential con-struction. “It’s a greener way to build for energy conscious architects and builders, it saves labor hours, and requires no special installation skills,” said Martusewicz. “For homeowners, they’re literally breathing easier with better air quality, reduced energy bills and fire safety,” he added.

For more information or a Dealer near you can find Arxx on the web: www.arxx.net or you can call: 482-5253

Comfort Windows is a family-owned business that opened in 1979.

See Hill’s Heating on page 4

OUR WINTER SALE HAS JUST BEGUN!

YES. THIS IS STICKLEY.Stickley. So much more than you expected.

4/excellence, january 28, 2009 excellence - at home - excellence

A steady hand in businessTattoo artist makes her mark in the industry…at home

Benefits of an at-home business

CHuCk WAInWrIGHT

Fay Robbins practices her craft.

By Farah Jadran Pike

Running a business from the com-fort of your own home may become too comfortable for some, but for Fay Robbins of North Syracuse, it has always been in her blood.

Robbins, 47, has been an entrepre-neur for more than 20 years and there is only more hope for a continued business in the future. She began her business journey when she dabbled in different arts, such as woodworking, drawing, jewelry making, and stained glass projects.

Not only did she work out of an at-home art studio for several years, she also transformed her studio into a new business venture, tattoo artistry. Breaking free from the “tough guy” tattoo shop, this female tattoo artist, runs a private and quiet studio called Flash on Flesh Tattoo Studio.

Working at home has saved Robbins gas money, time and has allowed her to keep her family com-mitments.

“I don’t waste gas driving to a shop or waiting for a no-show,” she said. “I can also stay home and take care of my mother-in-law and baby-sit relatives’ kids between my appointments.”

Overall, Robbins sets her own schedule and decides what other commitments she can attend to since she is the boss.

Robbins became certified by the Red Cross for Universal precautions and Cross contamination more than three years ago. An avid tattoo lover already, she always kept the thought of becoming a tattoo artist in the back of her mind.

“Tattooing came very natural to me,” Robbins said. “I work very well with my hands.”

Since Robbins had a working studio for her artwork, she decided it would be the perfect place to run her tattoo studio, rather than work alongside other tattoo artists in an already established tattoo shop.

“It never crossed my mind to work out of a larger shop,” Robbins said. “It’s too public and there are always too many people walking through, and watching.”

While female tattoo artists are not as common as the “stereotypical biker-type” tattoo guy, according to Robbins’ husband Carl, a manager at a local Burger King. He said his wife brings a different touch to the tattoo world.

“Being that she’s a female tattoo artist makes her different,” Carl Rob-bins said. “But she’s always been very crafty which makes her stand out.”

Her artistic ability and attention to detail are some of her strongest qualities according to her husband, but she also has another business tactic that sets her a part from local competition.

“I want to pertain to the female audience,” Robbins said. “There aren’t many female tattoo artists in the area.”

Her private studio is described as a “female friendly” environment in the Yellow Pages, which in her opinion

✻ Gas savings. never fret that you wasted gas to drive to your business only to be let down on a slow day or client no-shows.✻ Your time is your own. no matter what business you are in, you will be at home whether there is much business to be done or if you have some personal things to attend to.

✻ Family commitments can be kept. Work won’t get in the way of family affairs because you’re the boss, make your own schedule to your leisure.✻ no more wasted costs for utilities for that business at another location. Being at home means you would use the same amenities so there’s less added expense to your pocketbook.

✻ Build your skills and clientele. If you’re not attending to business matters, you can take the time to learn a new skill, take an online course or brush up on the latest trends for your business model. With extra time, additional promos can be e-mailed or mailed out to cli-ents to remind them about your offers or specials.

gas. This furnace delivers in all areas; it has 94 percent fuel efficiency and can save customers $500 per year off the electric cost of operation.

Hill’s is owned by Terry and Ellie Hill and managed by Shirley Ham-mond. Some of the 30 employees at Hill’s have worked there for 29 years, and their long-term commitment to the company makes for better cus-tomer service. Hammond said this is important because customers see the service end of their work. Hill’s offers extended warranty programs on their products, and financing is available to all customers.

Hill’s Heating and Air Condi-tioning, Inc. is located at 7852 West River Rd. in Baldwinsville. They can be reached at 638-2495. They also have offices at 22 East Utica St. in Oswego and 2121 West Genesee St. in Auburn.

See Home business on page 6

From page 5

Hill’s Heating

now Available at Seneca Federal

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MAIN OFFICE35 Oswego StreetP.O. Box 210Balwinsville, NY 13207(315) 638-0233315-638-9871 FAX

LIVERPOOL OFFICE105 Second StreetP.O. Box 429Liverpool, NY 13088315-457-1280315-457-9104 FAX

NORTH SYRACUSE OFFICE201 North Main StreetP.O. Box 156North Syracuse, NY 13212(315) 458-6543315-458-1105 FAX

ONLINEwww.senecafederal.com

Call Janice MacDonald or Tammy Purcell now at

315-638-0233 to start the application process

For more information, call (315) 498-2000s u n y o c c . e d u

Onondaga Community College’sWorkforce Development

Preparing today’s workforce

for tomorrow’s jobs

and

supporting the growth of

Central New York’s local economy

For almost 14 years, Onondaga County has led the waywith its progressive environmental and economic solutions for managing municipal solid waste. In rethinking what they do with regular household trash, the municipalities of Onondaga County adopted a renewable energy solution called Energy-from-Waste that helps power the Countywhile helping the environment.

At the Energy-from-Waste facility in Onondaga, municipal solid waste is converted into electricity by Covanta Energy. Annually, this process saves approximately 350,000 tons of waste from being landfilled while generating enough clean energy to power about 25,000 homes and offset about 350,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

Covanta is committed to the communities it serves and to safeguarding the environment in which we live and work. Operating five of New York State’sEnergy-from-Waste facilities, Covanta is proud to be an integral part of a solution for Onondaga County’s communities that converts municipal solid waste into clean, renewable energy.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Rethink.

Covanta Onondaga, LP5801 Rock Cut Road

Jamesville, New York 13078Phone: 315.498.4111

excellence

excellence, january 28, 2009/5excellence - powerIng up/work force - excellence

GEOrGIA kEEnE

Covanta Energy’s business manager Kathy Carroll and maintenance mechanic Val Dinicola stand in the control room overlooking the refuse holding pit. Dinicola operates the crane, which moves all of Onondaga County’s garbage into a feed chute.

Covanta supplies clean energy, reduces greenhouse gas

Two new programs reward recycling efforts in the community

By Kim Court

The economic news of late seems to paint a bleak picture. New York State just posted record job losses and abysmal unemployment rates. Lo-cally, many companies have laid off employees or been forced to close their doors altogether.

The economic woes of the country - and right here in Central New York - are a harsh reality for many who only a year or two ago may never have believed they would be out of work in 2009. We see the numbers in the newspapers and the images on television of people struggling to find work.

What we often don’t see is that behind those images and numbers are real people - people in critical need of retrain-ing to prepare them for successful reentry into the work force.

Enter community colleges. Often known as ‘economic engines’ that fuel the work force, community colleges are vital bridges that con-nect willing workers with jobs through work force development. Community colleges provide training in a f lexible format to meet the needs of many students who juggle multiple work and family commitments. And, when compared to four-year institutions, they have a more afford-able price tag.

Certainly, community colleges offer degree programs designed to prepare graduates to directly enter the work force. However, they can also have a sizable impact on the local work force through partnerships with community organizations such as CNY Works, a local not-for-profit corporation that connects job seekers, employers and training services into a network of resources.

Onondaga Community College, the area’s second-largest undergraduate institution, is a presenting sponsor of and frequent partner with CNY Works. Through CNY Works, workshops about the college’s admission process as well as on resume writing, technology networking, entre-preneurship and others are offered. And, through a federal grant, computer classes are offered right at the CNY Works location.

“Based upon the evolving demands of the economy - largely driven by technological advance-ment, globalization and changing demograph-ics, skills development beyond high school has become vital as individuals evolve throughout their lifelong workforce skills,” said Lenore Sealy, executive director of CNY Works. “Onondaga offers a wealth of opportunities in response to this need through its role with secondary, career, technical and higher education.”

Community colleges are uniquely positioned to identify and then meet the needs of the com-munities in which they serve. The Anheuser-Busch plant in Lysander recently requested that Onondaga develop and teach specific, proprietary courses in electrical and mechanical technology for their current employees.

The college is currently finishing its sixth and final course onsite to upgrade the training of many Anheuser-Busch employees.

And for current and future architects, train-ing in Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design, or LEED, is required to maximize their success in the green building indus-try. Onondaga offers this highly sought-af-ter training through a partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council.

David Wall, director of corporate and public partnerships at Onon-

daga Community College said, “Whether it’s job retraining and job placement assistance for people out of work, two-year degree programs that pre-pare people to enter the work force directly after graduating, or customized training for the existing work force, our work force development program can successfully make that direct connection be-tween local employers and workers.”

A vital resource for people returning to college to finish their first degree - or pursue a second or third - is the Career and Applied Learning Center, or CAL Center, at Onondaga. The CAL Center is a one-stop career center. In addition to working one-on-one with students and alumni, the CAL Center offers weekly workshops on resumes, cover letters and interviewing skills.

“The CAL Center’s services can help non-traditional age students or alumni ‘repackage’ themselves to be more attractive to potential employers,” said Dianne Fancher, director of the CAL Center. “It’s important to have someone to talk to, to look at their skills and help redirect them to a second or even third career.”

The Center also offers online job postings to link employers with students and alumni and each semester there is a job fair with several local employers.

“The CAL Center provides a critical link to em-ployers,” says Wall. “It’s a tremendous resource for students who need career placement assistance.”

For more information about CNY Works, go to cnyworks.com and for additional information about programs for adult learners at Onondaga Community College, go to sunyocc.edu or call 498-2000.

Seneca Federal approved by NYSERDA

From left are Tammy Purcell, vice president of lending; Penny VanA-uken, vice president of operations; Katrina Russo, vice president, and Janice MacDonald, vice president secretary.

Seneca Federal Savings and Loan Association announced it has been approved by New York State Energy Research and Development Author-ity (NYSERDA) as a participating lender.

Christopher Demong, president of Seneca Federal, said, “This is an important way we can help consum-ers in Central New York reduce their energy costs.”

He further explained that the New York Energy Smart Loan Fund is de-signed to encourage eligible borrowers to take advantage of available prod-ucts, technologies and other measures that reduce energy use in both existing and new 1 to 4 unit homes, apart-ments and commercial buildings.

Mr. Demong further explained, “Seneca Federal can offer NYSERDA approved borrowers interest rate reductions of up to 4 percent on loans for homeowners and oth-ers who make eligible improvements or purchase eligible energy star appliances.

“A typical home improvement loan rate of 6.50 percent, for example, could be reduced to 2.50 percent.”

He said the application process is not that difficult.

“The customer fills out our typical loan ap-plication as well as the required application for NYSERDA,” the bank president said.

He also said loans and even grants are available for wind turbines and photovoltaic panels.

“Nyserda.org is the best source of information for details of these programs,” said Demong.

“As the cost of energy increases it becomes more important for homeowners to take small measures, such as additional insulation, as well as looking into alternative energy sources. New York State has partnered with eligible financial institu-tions, such as Seneca Federal, to help reduce the cost burden and assist consumers in determining payback periods based on particular homeowners’ time horizons,” he added.

OCC: Preparing today’s work force for tomorrow’s jobs

Do you ever wonder where your garbage goes? Covanta Energy holds all the answers. Many would be happy to know their trash is a part of Covanta’s Energy-from-Waste process, which powers 25,000 homes in Onondaga County and virtually eliminates byproducts. Located at the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Facil-ity, Covanta is doing notable, environmentally friendly work to eliminate both the county’s gar-bage and the pollutants generally associated with incineration.

“Our mission is to supply clean energy through the removal of waste,” Covanta Energy’s business manager Kathy Carroll said. “We are a net reducer of greenhouse gases which helps combat global warming.”

Every day, garbage trucks fill the refuse pit at Covanta Energy with about 990 tons of garbage. From the control room, operators use a crane to feed this garbage into large boilers. This process goes on 24 hours a day. Waste is reversed through the boilers until it is completely burned. The steam formed from this process generates electric-ity to power 25,000 homes around Onondaga County. This process alone eliminates 90 percent of the garbage’s mass. The remaining 10 percent consists of scrap metal, which Covanta recycles, and ash, which is the only byproduct that ends up in a landfill. This ash hardens into a concrete-like substance within one day, so it has several poten-tial uses. For example, in Hawaii this ash concrete was used to line roadways. Business manager Carroll said Covanta is trying to convince New York State that their disposal costs would greatly decrease if they would utilize this ash somehow.New Programs

Covanta has partnered with OCRRA in two new projects which underscore its mission of recycling waste.

“We, along with OCRRA, are involved in a Mercury Removal Program, where we are re-moving mercury and other pollutants from the mainstream,” Carroll said. “As part of this, people can drop their old, mercury thermometers at OCRRA’s transfer stations or at Covanta’s facility and will get, in exchange, a new solar thermom-eter and a $5 gift certificate to Home Depot.”

Covanta is also partnering with OCRRA on the Best Blue Bin program, which rewards those who recycle.

“The county sends out enforcement officers, and these officers will name those who have two or three blue bins and are really organized when it comes to putting their recyclables out as Best Blue Bin program recipients,” Carroll said. “These individuals will receive a tree donated by Covanta. The trees are two-foot balsam fir saplings Covanta purchased from the county’s water and soil district.”

Covanta Energy wants to change the way people think about garbage incineration. Carroll said many people still have the negative image of

“incinerators of old” emitting black smoke and pollutants. Covanta does quite the opposite, not only eliminating garbage without harmful smoke, but also generating energy and recycling in the process. Covanta’s truck scales have radiation detectors to ensure no radioactive waste enters the plant. Because incineration in the three boilers is done in enclosed spaces, no smoke is emitted from the plant’s stack. Ammonia is injected into the boilers to neutralize any harmful gases from the garbage. Water waste from the plant is treated and reused on site, instead of being drained into the sewer, full of contaminants. Additionally, Covanta has a carbon silo, which neutralizes the final gases that come out of the stack into carbon dioxide and water.

Carroll said when Covanta Energy started in 1995, many people thought they would compete with recycling. However, the recycling rate has increased greatly since Covanta began: now about 65 percent of recyclable materials are actually recycled, a great improvement. Covanta Onondaga’s affiliation with OCRRA also ensures that the only materials used to produce energy are non-recyclable waste products.Education, outreach is key at Covanta

Not only does Covanta Energy do its part to help the environment, but its community involve-ment is impressive as well. Covanta emphasizes community outreach education, giving tours to students from various schools and universities. On Earth Day, Covanta employees participate in cleanups with Syracuse and Jamesville-DeWitt schools. They are also a major sponsor and vol-unteer of the Envirothon, put on by the County Water and Soil Conservation Group. The Envi-rothon is a competition of high school students pertaining to environmental issues.

The facility is recognized by several organiza-tions, such as Rotary Clubs, the Manufacturers’ Association and Syracuse Chamber Councils. Last year, Covanta Energy Onondaga received the North American Solid Waste Association’s countrywide silver award.

A few years ago, they received the gold award. In 2007, Covanta Energy received the Volun-teer Protection Program Star designation from OSHA. Covanta worked voluntarily with OSHA to become certified as a result of employees’ com-mitment to safety. Two of the elements of the VPP recognition include employee safety and health training and hazard prevention and control. This status was achieved solely through worker initia-tion, and is an indicator of the 46 employees’ commitment to a safe and environmentally sound workplace.

Covanta Energy at the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Facility is located at 5801 Rock Cut Road in Jamesville. If you have ques-tions or would like to arrange a tour, please call 498-4111.

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has made her business most unique and welcoming to both women and some men.

“Some ladies bring their friends when they come in for their ap-pointment,” Robbins said. “The studio is big enough for them to bring four friends with if they want.”

A female tattoo artist will also put nervous husbands at ease when their

wives get tattoos in private places, said Carl Robbins about his wife’s business.

“The larger shops have almost no privacy sometimes,” Robbins said. “I thought, that’s really not for me.”

More specifically, she said she was looking to get another tattoo years ago when she had a rather disturbing experience. A girl was getting two piercings in a separate room with the door wide open

because people were walking in and out, said Robbins.

“My studio is very private,” Robbins said. “I think it’s a calm and quiet place where clients can relax and get a tattoo without an audience.”

Even with the ups and downs of the economy, Robbins said busi-ness has been fairly steady. When gas prices were at the high of $4 she saw her slowest times thus far. Because

of lower current gas prices, she said things have picked up again.

“I do between four and six tattoos each week,” Robbins said. “So that works out to one a day which allows me to take my time and give that cli-ent the best tattoo possible.”

Robbins has given tattoos that have taken more than five hours, and arranged for three sisters to come in and get matching tattoos to-gether. Her attention to the client’s requests has made her repeat busi-ness and word-of-mouth referrals most profitable.

Aside from tattoos, Robbins has also began giving Henna tattoos, which are herb or coffee-based mix-tures that are applied to skin with intentions of staining the design to the skin. The design lasts between 10 days and three weeks, depending on how well the client cares for it.

“I got a couple calls about Hen-na,” she said. “I thought why not, I can make the stuff myself and draw designs for clients anyway.”

Robbins said if a client doesn’t show up, she has not lost any cost to her business because she is already at home anyway. The flexibility of her business and her free time is one of the biggest advantages she has over non-home-based businesses.

She enjoys having her busi-ness at home, but she still likes having her own space for her family versus the tattoo studio that is only for clients.

“Because of the side en-trance to the studio it’s been so convenient,” she said. “Without those little details this studio wouldn’t be possible.”

Flash on Flesh Tattoo Studio is located at 9 Homeland Road in North Syracuse. Fay Robbins can be reached at 452-1927 for appointments.

From page 4

Home business

CHuCk WAInWrIGHT

The personal touch is key in Fay Robbins’ studio. At left is a leg tattoo a la Robbins. Belwo are ex-amples of the sketches done

by Robbins by hand, many of

which are used for her tattoos.

CMYK