Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said there is a renewed sense of pride and confidence in the Port City — a community on the rise.

“Our downtown, we're building back,” Barlow said. “Our waterfront has its challenges but we have a lot of positive things happening in our waterfront. Our neighborhoods are restored.”

Barlow said there is more to do and more to come.

He announced his projects and proposals at the State of the City address Monday.

His top three priorities include reducing the cost of building permits by 50 percent.

"We’re sending a signal to property owners who are willing to invest,” Barlow said. “Why should we charge you for paperwork? A piece of paper that gives you permission to do the work we are encouraging you to do."

Barlow expects more construction in the neighborhoods, but also the waterfront.

"We have $12.5 million from New York State’s REDI program to transform the International Pier to a pedestrian friendly interactive boardwalk,” he said, referring to the state’s Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Intiative. “We have major improvements coming to Wright’s Landing Marina. We’re redoing all the bathroom facilities. We’ll place a welcome center in the marina."

Barlow wants to bring new life to the city, but he also wants to keep it safe by investing in the police department.

"The drug task force identified they need more people; they need more manpower,” said Oswego City Police Chief Phillip Cady. “We’re going to try to provide them an extra person and more equipment that they need."

They also created the neighborhood engagement team to permanently assign officers to community patrols.

"That’s what we’re looking to do moving forward for the next four years,” Barlow said. “Just fine-tune the work we started and really try to make Oswego strong for the long term."

Officials are also tackling the final downtown revitalization project they won in 2016, transforming the Midtown Plaza into commercial space and 72 apartments.

Last but not least, Barlow says they’re improving the parks. They’re renovating the hockey rink at Shapiro Park and renaming it after Jack Bobbett, an 11-year-old who was struck and killed by a vehicle last summer.