Mayor Meg Grenier

In view of the positive feedback I have received from Village residents regarding my “Mayor’s Message”, I am going to post more frequently things going on in my role as Mayor of Menands.

When I first took Office last year, one of my top priorities was to create a business friendly environment in Menands.  As part of that initiative, I have begun visiting businesses located here.  My first visit was to the Riverview Center where I was given an extensive tour by Mr. Joel Burtman, the General Manager.  I had an opportunity to meet with various people who do business in the building and to get their views on working in Menands.  This was a real thrill for me since I had not been in the building since it was the Montgomery Ward facility.

I was amazed at the transformation of the building and was impressed with the commitment and pride that the owners, Riverview Assets, have shown toward making their property as attractive as possible.RiverviewCenteris an excellent example of responsible property ownership.

My next two visits were at Gerome Technologies, Inc. and E-Biz Docs who share a location at 85 Broadway.  E-Biz Docs provides a full range of services that help businesses manage documents, both digital-born and scanned images, more efficiently and accurately.  My tour was led by Ed Canary, Director of Operations and I was impressed by the technology used by the business.  I also noted that the company provides employment for several persons with disabilities.

Gerome Technologies, Inc. was founded by Mark Smisloff in 1995.  The company moved to Menands in 2004 and has grown from 26 to over 50 employees. Gerome is a major provider of electrical innovative repair kits for power generators and electrical equipment. The customer base includes GE Power Systems as well as other large manufactures throughout the world.

My tour with Mark was as equally fascinating as my other stops as he showed me the expansion of the company’s production space, the equipment used, and the resulting product.  In addition, I was very pleased to see the improvements outside of the building including a reconstructed stone wall and foot bridge that are very aesthetically pleasing.  Mark and his Building Manager, Paul Woroby, are both committed to Menands and have demonstrated an interest in seeing improvements and upgrades along the Broadway Corridor.  We discussed additional projects that they will be undertaking this Spring which hopefully will encourage other business owners to follow suit.

Mark also owns 91 Broadway which houses the Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council. The building, which formerly was the location of Wickers n Gifts, has been completely upgraded which has led to a long term lease by the Council and the continued employment of Council staff in Menands.

I will be visiting the Council in the near future and will share my experiences with you in my next Mayor’s Message.

Until next time,

Mayor Meg