After delay, Brasher, Massena receive casino gaming money
BRASHER FALLS — Thursday's mail brought good news for town supervisors in Brasher and Massena in the form of their latest installment of casino gaming compact money.
For the towns, that means $631,254 each they can use for economic development, infrastructure, tourism and gambling addiction intervention.
It was money that should have arrived in late spring or early summer, according to Brasher Town Supervisor M. James Dawson Jr. and Massena Town Supervisor W. Gary Edwards.
The four towns and two counties included in the gaming compact — the towns of Brasher, Bombay, Fort Covington and Massena, and St. Lawrence and Franklin counties — typically receive their annual allotment of compact dollars in May or June, but officials said a few hurdles delayed this year's allocation.
This year's check was larger than in the past because of retroactive payments due the towns and counties from errors the state made in disbursing past allocations.
"We got an extra chunk this year. We're supposed to get $400,00 and change," Mr. Dawson said.
Brasher's supervisor said he and Mr. Edwards have been working together to determine how best to use their money. Each year the towns must submit a spending plan that outlines the economic development or gambling addiction assistance initiatives for which their allocations will be used. The requests are reviewed by Empire State Development and, once approved, are submitted as one complete package to the state's Office of the Budget.
Among the projects for which Brasher was approved was a revolving loan fund for people who are hoping to start a business. The town also will buy emergency equipment for the Tri-Town Rescue Squad and fire departments, as well as use some of the money to install a sidewalk.
"I think we're going to set aside some funds for a new town garage. The one we have, we purchased from the Seaway in 1958 for $1. It's certainly earned its keep," Mr. Dawson said. "We are really in need of a new garage. They finally agreed to let us use some funds for that."
"It's infrastructure," he said. "We need trucks on the road to keep the roads plowed to the casino."
In Massena, Mr. Edwards said, the town is using some of its money for tourism with contributions to the Visitors Center at Eisenhower Lock. It also is making a contribution to the county's junior carp tournament, to a Bassmasters fishing tournament that will be held in Massena and to the Massena Soap Box Derby and winter carnival.
"They want to try to kick off that winter carnival again. The town and village are donating some money to get it going," Mr. Edwards said.
He said he was grateful to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe for the contributions it is making to the area.
"Like I always try to say, the Native American community is the driving force in the north country. It's a wonderful thing for the towns that we receive this money. We get a piece of that action for the impact they have on the area," he said.
Mr. Edwards said that since the money helped fund the Business Development Corp. and other economic development projects, it assists not only Massena but the entire region as well.
