Helping Small Businesses Thrive
Helping Small Businesses Thrive and Creating Good-Paying Jobs
A Town That Is Open for Business
Small businesses are the backbone of a strong local economy. They create jobs, fill storefronts, support families, and give each of our communities its own unique character. Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board understand that when local businesses succeed, the entire Town succeeds.
That is why the Saladino administration has made economic development, job creation, downtown revitalization, and reducing unnecessary government red tape major priorities.
Helping Small Businesses Thrive and Creating Good-Paying Jobs
A Town That Is Open for Business
Small businesses are the backbone of a strong local economy. They create jobs, fill storefronts, support families, and give each of our communities its own unique character. Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board understand that when local businesses succeed, the entire Town succeeds.
That is why the Saladino administration has made economic development, job creation, downtown revitalization, and reducing unnecessary government red tape major priorities.
A Town That Is Open for Business
Small businesses are the backbone of a strong local economy. They create jobs, fill storefronts, support families, and give each of our communities its own unique character. Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board understand that when local businesses succeed, the entire Town succeeds.
That is why the Saladino administration has made economic development, job creation, downtown revitalization, and reducing unnecessary government red tape major priorities.
Supporting Small Businesses
The Town has worked to put real resources behind its commitment to local entrepreneurs. Through the Oyster Bay Forward program, the Town awarded $4.5 million to eligible small businesses and nonprofits, made possible through federal funding. The program was designed to help businesses recover from the economic effects of the pandemic and keep their operations moving forward.
The Town has also partnered with professional organizations to provide free small-business startup and mentoring assistance. Through the Workforce Partnership, entrepreneurs can receive guidance on starting a business and developing solutions to help an existing business grow.
Cutting Red Tape and Making Government Work Faster
For a small business owner, time is money. The Town has therefore worked to make interactions with government faster and more convenient.
The Department of Planning & Development has expanded online building-permit applications and credit-card payments, while the Town has reprioritized staff to process applications more quickly. The Town continues to offer many same-day permits and has taken steps to eliminate unnecessary red tape for businesses.
During the economic recovery, these efforts were particularly important for restaurants and other businesses. The administration moved quickly to eliminate barriers to outdoor dining, helping businesses reopen and put employees back to work.
Helping Businesses Find and Train Employees
A business cannot grow without a strong workforce. The Town of Oyster Bay administers the Workforce Partnership, operating career centers in Hicksville and Massapequa that provide free resources to both employers and job seekers. Services include job placement assistance, skills training, career counseling, computer workshops, and connections between qualified workers and local employers.
The Town also offers On-the-Job Training programs that help eligible businesses train new employees while receiving assistance with training costs. In one program, businesses could receive wage reimbursement of up to 75% of a trainee’s salary.
Turning Job Training Into Real Jobs
The Town’s programs have produced tangible results. In 2017, the Town partnered with Oyster Bay Brewing Company through an On-the-Job Training program to employ and train two local residents in product sales. The training was intended to help the growing business expand its operations, with the potential for permanent employment following completion of the program.
The Town has continued offering job fairs and workforce services designed to connect employers with qualified candidates. These efforts give local businesses another avenue to recruit workers while giving residents opportunities to build careers close to home.
Revitalizing Downtowns
A thriving downtown is one of the best ways to support small businesses. The Saladino administration and Town Board have invested in revitalization projects designed to make commercial districts more attractive, accessible, walkable, and welcoming.
Hicksville is undergoing a particularly significant transformation. The Town helped advance a $111 million mixed-use development at 99 Newbridge Road featuring 189 residential units with retail and restaurant space. The broader downtown revitalization effort includes major public improvements, pedestrian upgrades, beautification, transportation access, and additional opportunities for businesses to locate and grow.
These investments create more than attractive streetscapes. They bring more people downtown—and more customers to local businesses.
Bringing New Investment and Jobs to the Town
The Town’s economic-development strategy extends beyond traditional small businesses. The administration has worked to attract major employers and private investment that expand the local tax base, create jobs, and generate economic activity.
Town officials point to major developments including Amazon’s distribution facility in Syosset, which brought hundreds of jobs and new economic activity while redeveloping a previously dormant brownfield property. The Town has also highlighted major investments involving 1-800-Flowers, Home Depot, and other employers.
At the same time, downtown redevelopment is creating opportunities for restaurants, retailers, professional services, and other small businesses to benefit from increased activity.
Keeping Dollars in Our Local Communities
The Town has also worked to encourage residents and visitors to shop, dine, and spend locally. The Oyster Bay Today initiative promotes the Town’s dining, shopping, recreation, and leisure opportunities while helping attract tourism and economic activity to local communities.
The goal is simple: when residents choose a local restaurant, visit a neighborhood store, hire a local professional, or attend a community event, those dollars help support local employees and local families.
Building an Economy Where Everyone Can Succeed
Supervisor Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board recognize that economic development isn’t just about large corporations or major construction projects. It is about the restaurant owner opening a second location, the contractor hiring another employee, the retailer filling a vacant storefront, the entrepreneur launching a new company, and the resident finding a good job close to home.
By providing financial assistance, connecting businesses with workers, expanding job training, streamlining permits, reducing unnecessary red tape, revitalizing downtowns, attracting private investment, and promoting local businesses, the Town is working to create an environment where businesses can open, grow, hire, and succeed.
A stronger business community means more jobs, stronger neighborhoods, a broader tax base, and a stronger Town of Oyster Bay.
Under Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board, Oyster Bay is open for business—and working every day to create new opportunities for businesses, workers, and families.