The Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery will receive at least $75,000 from Onondaga County to keep the hatchery open.

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry may also contribute $100,000 of its own funds and provide student workers to help save the hatchery, said James Rhinehart (R-Skaneateles) and chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

The fate of the hatchery was called into question Sept. 15 when the 2010 Onondaga County budget was announced.The proposed budget did not provide the $340,000 needed to keep the hatchery running.

The county budget was passed Oct. 13 and provided only $150,000 for the hatchery. An initial $75,000 of that money will be given to the hatchery up front, while the remaining $75,000 will remain in the hands of the county pending the approval of a plan created with ESF to lower operating costs.

The hatchery has until March 2010 to finalize a plan for the county, detailing its partnership with ESF. If the plan is approved, the remaining $75,000 will be released, Rhinehart said.

‘It’s motivation to come up with a plan,’he said.

After hearing about the problem, ESF began coming up with solutions to keep the hatchery open on a smaller budget. The college offered to supply the hatchery with student interns to fill the places of two full-time hatchery workers who were cut.

‘The county budget would likely be reduced because of our involvement, since some of the student participation would contribute to hatchery needs,’ said Neil Ringler, dean of research at ESF, in an e-mail.

Though ESF’s contribution of student workers is definite, the $100,000 contribution to the hatchery is not.

‘While we will seek outside funds to support the student (interns), no ESF funds have been directly allocated,’ Ringler said.

Along with the operating costs, there are also improvements that need to be made. Rhinehart said because it was built in the 1930s it is long overdue for upgrades, such as repairs to some of the hatching pools, building maintenance and trail work. He said it would need about $1.5-2 million in capital maintenance over the next few years.

To lower costs, the hatchery will reduce its staff from four to two, Rhinehart said. Two part-time employees will remain and ESF students will do the work of the eliminated positions. Replacing two employees with ESF students will lower the hatchery’s operating budget from $340,000 to $250,000.

‘ESF plans to work with students as interns at the hatchery, part-time or as undergraduates or graduates on research projects that help the overall missions of the hatchery, the college and the county,’Ringler said.

ESF will be promoting the internship spots for students during class registration next fall, Ringler said.

jlsiart@syr.edu

Published on October 21, 2009 at 12:00 pm