Drobysh rests hope for Sullivan's
bright future on small businesses

By TOM RUE

MONTICELLO - Despite the recent closing of some major businesses, the economic slump which Sullivan County has endured in recent years is bottoming out, according to executive director Steven Drobysh of the Partnership for Economic Development.

While Drobysh listed more than a dozen enterprises around the county which his agency has assisted over the last year, he noted that the closing of Jamesway stores in Liberty and Monticello, and the aquisition by Time-Warner of Cablevision Industries in Liberty, led to "a couple hundred people hitting the unemployment roll."

"That's a lot of people, without a doubt. But it's a national problem," he said, speaking of Jamesway's bankruptcy. "The Sullivan County stores were some of the most profitable in the country."

Drobysh said his non-profit agency was formed two years ago as part of an effort to revitalize the area by enticing new business to the area, and helping existing businesses expand. Funds for the partnership this year will come $60,000 from the county, $50,000 from the the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), and approximately $60,000 in matching funds from private sources, he said.

More than 60 local businesses -- large and small -- have joined forces with the partnership, which Drobysh described as "the external marketing arm for the county."

About 15 companies profited from the partnership's involvement in 1995, Drobysh said, most of which were too small or for other reasons ineligible for IDA support. Small businesses account for 82% of new employment in the nation, Drobysh said, with more than 60% of these job created by companies with 40 or fewer employees.

A few of the partnership's successes in 1995, cited by Drobysh, included:

Securement of a low-interest loan from a regional development to Farkill Communications of Liberty, for the purchase of equipment and hiring two new employees in the company's call-in operations;

Retention of three jobs and creation of two new ones by the expansion of Impressive Impressions, doing business as Liberty Press;

Relocation of Statewide Ambulette, formerly of Westchester, into South Fallsburg, creating 18 new positions for Sullivan County residents plus an expected six more this year;

Purchase of a 40,000-square-foot warehouse for Mountain Service Distributors, also known as Mountain Candy, in South Fallsburg. Drobysh said an IDA bond issue in the neighborhood of $1.5 million will result in the creation of 12 new jobs;

Renovation of Woodridge's old steam laundry by Oceanside Industries, formerly of Oceanside, Long Island, led to 20 new full-time positions and expenditure of well over a million dollars in repairs and new equipment.

East Ridge Bakery of Hankins received funds from private sources, facilitating the hiring of six new employees.

"Five jobs here, 10 jobs there. It adds up. It may not be glitzy or glamorous. But the bigger the company, the more they're going to shop for freebies. As soon as the freebies dry up, they'll be into the next community," said Drobysh.

One market niche which Sullivan County offers special potential includes the manufacture of wood, Drobysh said, by companies presently based in Canada and the northwest. "We're cutting the trees down now. I would like to see the value added here in terms of some new jobs."

Drobysh said he couldn't elaborate, but he has had discussions with representatives of a New Jersey graphics arts firm, a small steel fabricator in Canada, and a "primary and secondary processor of soft wood" -- each one possibly meaning as many as 25 to 50 new jobs each for the area this year.

In addition to the steady upturn for smaller enterprises, Drobysh pointed to the expansion of Big V Shop Rite supermarket in Monticello. Plans were announced recently for a new $6 to $8 million, 61,000 square foot retail "super store" on a 17-acre site behind McDonald's Restaurant. It will be adjoined by a 62-room Super 8 Motel.

The existing store on Broadway will be used by Shop Rite as a warehouse, Drobysh said.

Drobysh credited Thompson supervisor Anthony Cellini for helping the businesses feel welcome. "Cellini did a great job on working with these people to help them through the process in terms of planning board and site plans," he said.

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