91ÊÓƵ

According to records, the town reached a payment in lieu of taxes agreement with Byrne Dairy in April to support an $8 million expansion of the company's facility at 1 Eagle Drive.

Christian Brunelle, of Byrne Dairy parent company Sonbyrne Sales Inc., told 91ÊÓƵ the expansion will add 31,700 square feet to the 45,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility. It will include a new bakery for Shelby's Donuts — which are sold at the company's 70-plus convenience stores statewide — with automated production lines, a new cooler and other baking equipment. 

“We already owned the property, so it just made sense,� Brunelle said. Sonbyrne acquired the property from the Owasco Beverage Corporation in late 2014. 

According to the Syracuse-based company's  to the Cayuga County Industrial Development Agency, the project is expected to cost $8,122,056.

Brunelle estimates the expansion will add between 20 and 28 jobs over the next few years, including bakery staff, a manager, delivery drivers and warehouse workers. 

“We’re looking to add jobs with a mixture of experience levels,� he said, “and the current employees will be transitioning over to the new facility.�

Ground was broken on May 21, Brunelle said, and the project is expected to be completed by late December.

The PILOT will provide Byrne Dairy with approximately $671,000 in tax breaks over the next decade, according to the agreement.

“A tool such as a PILOT can help make a project feasible or not,â€� the agency's director, Michael Miller, told 91ÊÓƵ. 

“I would encourage anyone from the public to simply Google it or reach out to us to better understand it.� 

Mary Gratton, who chairs the Aurelius Planning Board, believes the town’s willingness to enter PILOT agreements with developers shows others that it's open for business. 

“There’s been quite a bit of activity in our commercial area in the past several months,â€� she told 91ÊÓƵ, “all of which I think is positive on the economic front for the community.â€� 

That activity, Gratton said, also includes Cayuga Milk Ingredients' $170 million expansion, Savannah Bank’s move to Fingerlakes Crossing and Stanton Automatics application for a building permit.

“It’s just another example of a company reinvesting in Cayuga County,� Miller said, “and the community ought to be proud of it.�