Brooks' to get $600,000 funding for 'mini sewer plant'

A total of $600,000 in government-backed low-interest loans and grant funding as been lined up to assist Brooks House of Bar-B-Q in replacing an aging septic system with a new mini sewer plant, officials said Friday.

Alexander Sandy Mathes, the consultant to the Otsego County Industrial Development Agency, said the money is expected to come from an Otsego County loan fund, the Otsego County Development Corporation, and a 10-county low-interest loan program operated by Broome County.

Officials said Brooks, in the process of building an expanded bottling facility that will allow it to step up the production of sauces sold in stores, has been getting pressure from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to upgrade its septic system.

The bottling facility is adjacent to the Brooks restaurant at 5560 State Route 7 in the town of Oneonta, where public water and sewer systems are lacking.

Mathes said the option of running a sewer line into that area of the town was explored but there would be insufficient financial backing to install one.

Mathes, recently hired by the local IDA, said he is confident the financial package for Brooks will be finalized soon.

We dont anticipate any issues, he said.

Eastman Associates, the general contracting firm headed by Richard Eastman, has been building the bottling plant and will also also install the sewer system.

Its all very positive, Mathes said in noting the boost for Brooks is expected to help the company take its line of sauces made in Oneonta into new markets.

Ryan Brooks, the third generation owner of Brooks Bar-B-Q, said the new bottling plant will be the springboard for an expansion of sauce production for the company.

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Brooks' to get $600,000 funding for 'mini sewer plant'