Businesses, new and existing, are being examined for Jamestown Community College’s Start-Up NY.

Cory Duckworth, JCC president, said several businesses are being reviewed for JCC’s Start-Up NY program. Start-Up NY is an economic development initiative started earlier this year by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to provide incentives to businesses to start, relocate or significantly expand in the state through affiliations with, and sponsorships by, educational institutions within the SUNY system, such as Jamestown Community College.

JCC officials have created a President’s Advisory Council on Economic Development that consists of private and public economic development leaders in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. The advisory council will review the Start-Up NY applications and approve the business before it is then forwarded to the JCC Board of Trustees for approval.

Duckworth said during a JCC board of trustees meeting the council has reviewed the applications for two existing businesses and five new businesses. At this time, he said he could not release the names of the businesses being reviewed. Three of the five new business that have applied include a brewery, a craft distillery and a pharmaceutical drug and clinical research company.

The advisory council has also reviewed a tractor trailer and RV business, but Duckworth said more research needs to be done on the business. The fifth new applicant was a music company, but that type of business isn’t part of JCC’s Start-Up NY plan. Duckworth said the business was referred to SUNY Fredonia for its Start-Up NY program.

JCC officials are targeting businesses in three sectors – manufacturing, biotechnology research, and information technology and computer sciences. Once a business formally applies for the program, there is a 60-90-day certification process. During this process, formalities like notifying community stakeholders including the Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County governments and the municipality where the business is located need to take place.

The Start-Up NY program is also an open-ended opportunity, with no deadline for new and existing businesses. The only limit on the number of businesses that can be approved for JCC’s program is based on square footage. Each campus receives 200,000 square feet. Start-Up NY benefits include tax-free credits for up to 10 years. These benefits include no state income tax; no corporate taxes; no sales tax on purchases; no real estate or property taxes; and no franchise fees.

For more information, visit www.sunyjcc.edu/about/start-up-ny or www.ccida.com/ index.php/links/start-up-ny.

In other business, Kirk Young, JCC enrollment, marketing and communications vice president, said he is working on increasing enrollment at JCC. Young, who joined JCC’s staff earlier this year, said he increased enrollment by 6 percent during the last two years he worked for his previous college employer. He said he is creating a marketing and strategic recruitment plan to increase enrollment. He said two areas he is trying to improve connections with are the Latino community and with guidance counselors in area schools. He said JCC’s student enrollment consists of about 30 percent of Chautauqua County and 20 percent of Cattaraugus County students entering higher education.

Earlier this year, Young said there are three populations JCC officials are trying to reach with their recruitment message.

The first type is obviously students. Young said JCC officials visit high schools and attend collage fairs throughout the state trying to reach out to potential college students. Also, college officials try to relay their message to adult or nontraditional students.

Parents are the second type of population college officials talk to in trying to increase enrollment. Young said open houses are a great opportunity to talk to parents one-on-one. Also, JCC officials are mailing a post card to area households detailing what the college has to offer students.

The third type of population JCC officials contact are school district officials. Young said JCC officials will be going on a road trip to schools to talk to superintendents, principals and guidance counselors. Duckworth said, during the meeting Tuesday, they have visited seven school principals and superintendents, with four more meetings scheduled.