A Message from the County Executive

Dear Friends,

I hope everyone had a good time celebrating Independence Day.

The summer has certainly been hot, but the heat has not slowed down the team in County government! This past month I was excited to join our Adult & Long-Term Care Services Team to announce the latest Senior Center Grants recipients. Over $200,000 was awarded to senior centers throughout the County and will help ensure that seniors in our community continue to have quality experiences while spending time there.

Mayor Walsh, SCSD Superintendent Davis and I also had the opportunity to tour the brand-new STEAM School at the old Central Tech. It was exciting to see all the construction progress that has been made. My administration remains steadfast in our commitment to support projects and initiatives that benefit our youth and seniors!

Last week, I also had the honor of presenting a proclamation to celebrate the Erie Canal's Bicentennial in the hamlet of Memphis located in the Town of Van Buren. A new mural by artist John Landers was also unveiled to honor this huge milestone. As Onondaga County is experiencing our own 'Erie Canal' moment, this celebration came at an incredibly important time.

Progress on the historic Micron investment continues to move forward. The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency recently held a public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Please note that comments are still being accepted through August 11th. Central New York continues to establish ourselves as the hub for semiconductor memory technology manufacturing in the world!

Below you will find additional updates and announcements made over the last month. As always, it is an honor to serve as your County Executive and if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Ryan

Celebrating Independence Day

Independence Day, more commonly referred to as the 4th of July, commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776, establishing the United States of America. 

To learn more about the history of Independence Day, please click below:

Celebrated in July, Disability Pride Month is an annual observance that honors the history, achievements and culture of people with disabilities while promoting awareness and acceptance.

The month coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, 1990. This landmark legislation played a significant role in protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities and ensuring their inclusion in society.

To learn more about the history of Disability Pride Month, please click below:



UV Safety Awareness Month is observed in July and raises awareness about the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation as well as promotes sun safety practices.

The month also serves as a reminder to take protective measures against UV exposure which can lead to skin cancer and other health issues.

To learn more about UV Safety Awareness Month, please click below:

Onondaga County Parks Celebrate Parks & Recreation Month

National Parks and Recreation Month has been celebrated since 1985 and aims to inspire healthier communities through the promotion of parks and recreation. This year marks the 40th anniversary of this celebration and recognizes the vital role of parks and recreation professionals.

Onondaga County Parks celebrated Parks and Recreation Professionals Day on Friday July 18th, 2025. This day was dedicated to celebrating all the professionals who help build and maintain strong, vibrant and resilient communities.

County Executive McMahon Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony for Upstate Pathology Institute in Dewitt

County Executive McMahon had the honor of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Upstate Pathology Institute in Dewitt.

The new three-story building will bring together vital services including the Core Laboratory, Microbiology Lab, Histology, Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Cytology, Electron Microscopy, Bone Marrow, Hematopathology, Cytogenetics, Flow Cytometry, Molecular Lab, Bioinformatics & Digital Pathology and more. The building will also include teaching, conference and employee support spaces as well as areas for drone and courier specimen transport.

County Executive McMahon said, "Our community is fortunate to have such a world class medical institution like Upstate Medical University located right here in Onondaga County. As a growing community, it's important more than ever to support our medical infrastructure to ensure both our current and future residents have access to the best pathology lab, we are making good on that effort. Congratulations to everyone who helped make today possible."

County Executive McMahon Tours Regional STEAM High School

County Executive McMahon joined Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Syracuse City School District Superintendent Anthony Davis for a tour of construction updates at the soon-to-be, world class Regional STEAM School.

This will be the region's first-ever Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) high school and will open this fall. There are 250 students and 40 teachers who will be part of the school's inaugural class. This school year only freshmen will be in the building and a new class will join each year, meaning a full high school class with four grades and 1,000 students will be in place by the time the upcoming class are seniors.

County Executive McMahon said, "You're going to have a unique building. You're going to have what I describe as the 'Center of Excellence" for kids that know already what fields they want to enter. We'll need a fantastic STEM curriculum in all our districts to meet this amazing economic opportunity we have here."

County Executive McMahon Honors White Branch Library Centennial With A Proclamation

County Executive McMahon joined Onondaga County Public Libraries Executive Director Amanda Perrine and other elected officials to present White Branch Library with a proclamation to honor their centennial anniversary.

Located in Syracuse's North Side, White Branch Library is one of the city's oldest branches, opening to the public on July 1st, 1925. The library serves the city's most ethnically and racially diverse populations and it provides over 23,000 books and media resources, computers with internet access and numerous programs for adults and children. Congratulations!

County Executive McMahon Honors Erie Canal Bicentennial Celebration With A Proclamation

County Executive McMahon visited the Hamlet of Memphis in the Town of Van Buren to present a proclamation honoring the Erie Canal's Bicentennial!

County Executive McMahon Announces

Senior Center Grant Recipients

County Executive McMahon joined members of the Onondaga County Legislature, Onondaga County Department of Adult & Long Term Services Commissioner JoAnne Spoto-Decker and community members to announce the latest round of Senior Center Grants. These grants will be used to make improvements to senior centers countywide and ensure the seniors in our community continue to have quality experiences while spending time there. Nearly $200K in grants have been awarded.

IKEA is coming to Syracuse!

IKEA announced plans for a new store at Destiny USA Shopping center to open this fall. The new 70,000 square-foot store will showcase a variety of fully furnished room settings, a central planning area for customers to design and order furniture with IKEA team members, 3,000 products available for immediate purchase and a Swedish food experience with a variety of hot and cold IKEA favorites.

Syracuse Food Truck Association Announces

#SYRFoodTruck Takeover At CNY Regional Market

Summer Story Times at Onondaga County Public Libraries

To learn more about Summer Story Times and other OCPL events, click below:

Onondaga County Parks Beaches Now

Open Daily Through August 17th!

FreshConnect Checks Programs For Veterans

For a list of current job openings with Onondaga County, click below:

August 20-September 1

For a list of daily attractions and full entertainment schedule, please click below:

ON Farm Fest is Saturday, September 20th 2025

The Onondaga Agriculture Council will hold the 9th annual ON Farm Fest on September 20th, 2025. Visitors will enjoy a free day of family-friendly fun as local farms across Onondaga County opened for tours from 10am-3pm. At ON Farm Fest, you’ll learn about life on the farm and discover the latest advances in agriculture. Many farms have local products and food for sale, live music, and interactive exhibits. 

To learn more about the 9th annual On Farm Fest and host farms, click below:

ON Farm Fest Hst Farm

To learn more or make an appointment, click below: