EXHIBIT 10.10
           NBT Bancorp Inc. 2000 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan


<PAGE>


                                                   January 24, 2000













                                NBT BANCORP INC.

                                Norwich, New York

                   2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN





<PAGE>


                                NBT BANCORP INC.
                                Norwich, New York



                   2000 EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN


                                Table of Contents


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                      PAGE

<S>                                                                                                   <C>
Introduction...........................................................................................1-2
INCENTIVE PLAN
--------------
Section I - Definitions..................................................................................3
Section II - Participation...............................................................................4
Section III - Activating the Plan........................................................................4
Section IV - Calculation of Awards.......................................................................4
Section V - President's Special Recommendations..........................................................4
Section VI - Distribution of Awards......................................................................5
Section VII - Plan Administration........................................................................6
Section VIII - Amendment, Modification, Suspension or Termination........................................6
Section IX - Effective Date..............................................................................6
Section X - Employer Relations with Participants.........................................................6
Section XI - Governing Law...............................................................................6

Incentive Plan Participants.....................................................................Appendix A
Distribution of Awards..........................................................................Appendix B
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                                NBT BANCORP INC.

                                Norwich, New York


                                  INTRODUCTION


It is important to examine the benefits which accrue to the organization through
the operation of the Executive  Incentive  Compensation  Plan.  The Plan impacts
directly on senior management - those critical to the  organization's  success -
and its purpose can be summarized as follows:



     *         PROVIDES  MOTIVATION:  The  opportunity  for  incentive  awards
                   provides  executives  with the impetus to "stretch" for
                   challenging, yet attainable, goals.



     *         PROVIDES RETENTION:  by enhancing the organization's competitive
                   compensation posture.



     *         PROVIDES  MANAGEMENT TEAM BUILDING:  by making the incentive
                   award dependent on the attainment of organization  goals, a
                   "team orientation" is fostered among the participant group.



     *         PROVIDES  INDIVIDUAL  MOTIVATION:  by making a portion of the
                    incentive  award dependent on the attainment of individual
                    goals, a participant is encouraged to make significant
                    personal contribution to the corporate effort.



     *         PROVIDES COMPETITIVE  COMPENSATION  STRATEGY:  The implementation
                    of incentive  arrangements is competitive with current
                    practice in the banking industry.



                                       -1-
<PAGE>
Highlights of the 2000  Executive  Incentive  Compensation  Plan included in the
following pages are below:


     1.        The Plan is competitive,  if not more menerous,  compared with
               similar sized banking  organizations and the banking industry in
               general.


     2.        The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors controls all
               aspects of the Plan.


     3.        Management employees are eligible for participation.


     4.        The  financial  criteria  necessary for  Plan  operation consists
               of achieving  certain levels of net income for the company and/or
               its  subsidiaries as applicable.  Certain non recurring  events
               may be excluded from the financial results at the discretion of
               the CEO and the Compensation Committee.


     5.        Incentive distributions will be made during the first quarter of
               the year following the Plan Year.


     6.        Incentive  awards will be based on  attainment  of  corporate
               goals.   Total  Incentive   Awards  may  contain   corporate,
               subsidiary  and  individual  components;  the  corporate  and
               subsidiary  components awarded by virtue of their performance
               related to their goals and the individual  component  awarded
               by virtue of  individual  performance  related to  individual
               goals. Component percentages are shown in Appendix B.


     7.        Incentive distributions will be based on the matrix in Appendix
               B.



                                       -2-
<PAGE>
                                NBT BANCORP INC.

                                Norwich, New York


The Board of Directors of NBT Bancorp Inc. has  established  this 2000 Executive
Incentive  Compensation  Plan.  The  purpose  of the Plan is to meet and  exceed
financial  goals and to promote a superior level of performance  relative to the
company's   competition  in  its  market  area.  Through  payment  of  incentive
compensation  beyond base  salaries,  the Plan  provides  reward for meeting and
exceeding the financial goals.


SECTION I - DEFINITIONS

     Various terms used in the Plan are defined as follows:


     BASE SALARY: the base salary at the end of the Plan year,  excluding any
          bonuses,  contributions to employee benefit programs,  or
          other compensation not designated as salary.


     BOARD OF DIRECTORS:  The Board of Directors of NBT Bancorp Inc.

     PRESIDENT & CEO:  CEO of NBT Bancorp Inc.

     CORPORATE GOALS:  Those pre-set objectives and goals which are required to
          activate distribution of awards under the Plan.

     INDIVIDUAL GOALS:  Key objectives mutually agreed upon between participants
          and superior, and approved by the CEO.


     COMPENSATION COMMITTEE:  The Compensation Committee of the Board of
          Directors of the Bank.


     PLAN  PARTICIPANT:  An  eligible  employee  of the  company or its
          subsidiaries  as  designated  by the CEO and  approved  by the
          Compensation Committee for participation for the Plan Year.


     PLAN YEAR:  The 2000 calendar year.


                                       -3-
<PAGE>

SECTION II - ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE


To be  eligible  for an award  under the  Plan,  a Plan  participant  must be an
officer in the  full-time  service of the  company at the start and close of the
calendar  year and at the time of the award unless the CEO by special  exception
recommends to the Compensation Committee a special arrangement for a newly hired
executive  who may be  designated  by the CEO and  approved by the  Compensation
Committee as eligible for an award as determined in the employment agreement.  A
Plan participant must be in the same or equivalent position, at year end as they
were when named a  participant  or have been  promoted  during the course of the
year, to be eligible for an award. If a Plan participant  voluntarily leaves the
employ of the  company or its  subsidiaries  prior to the  payment of the award,
he/she is not  eligible to receive an award.  However,  if the active  full-time
service  of a  participant  in the  Plan is  terminated  by  death,  disability,
retirement,  or if the participant is on an approved leave of absence,  an award
will be recommended  for such a participant  based on the proportion of the Plan
year that he/she was in active service with the company or its subsidiaries.


SECTION III - ACTIVATING THE PLAN

The operation of the Plan is  predicated  on attaining and exceeding  management
performance  goals.  The goals will  consist of the  attainment  of certain  net
income levels.  Non recurring events may be excluded from the financial  results
at the discretion of the CEO and the  Compensation  Committee.  The  Corporation
must  achieve a minimum  net income set forth in  Appendix B to trigger an award
pursuant to the terms of this plan.


SECTION IV - CALCULATION OF AWARDS

The Compensation Committee designates the incentive formula as shown in Appendix
B. The  Compensation  Committee  will make final  decisions  with respect to all
incentive  awards and will have final  approval over all incentive  awards.  The
individual  participant  data  regarding  maximum  award  and  formulas  used in
calculation has been customized and appears as Appendix A.


SECTION V - SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The CEO will recommend to the  Compensation  Committee the amounts to be awarded
to individual participants in the incentive Plan. The CEO may recommend a change
beyond the formula to a bonus award  (increase  or  decrease)  to an  individual
participant by a specified  percentage based on assessment of special individual
performance  beyond the individual  goals. The Compensation  Committee may amend
the CEO's bonus award. The amount of the adjustment is from 0%-20% of the actual
award. No award will be granted to an officer whose performance is unacceptable.





                                       -4-
<PAGE>

SECTION VI - DISTRIBUTION OF AWARDS


Unless a  participant  elects the  deferred  option  outlined  in the  following
paragraph,  distribution  of awards will be made during the first quarter of the
year following the Plan year.  Distribution  of the bonus award must be approved
by the Compensation Committee.

A  participant  may elect by written  notice to the Committee at any time during
the month of  December  of the Plan Year  preceding  the year to which the award
relates to have all or a portion of his award  deferred  (Deferred  Award).  Any
such election shall be irrevocable except unforeseeable financial emergency.

Any  portion  of  participant's  award  that is  deferred  shall  bear  interest
commencing  on the Award Date based on the lowest  balance in the  participant's
account during the month,  as if invested at an annual rate equal to the highest
annual rate offered at NBT on any customer deposit account in effect on the last
day of the preceding  calendar  year.  Interest shall be computed  monthly,  and
credited to the participant's account as of the last day of each calendar month.

The  Deferred  Award  shall be paid in five  (5)  annual  installments  upon the
participant's  ceasing to be  actively  employed  by the Company for any reason.
Payment  shall begin on the 31st day of January  following the year in which the
participant  ceases  to be  actively  employed  with  the  Company.  However,  a
participant  with  the  consent  of  the  Committee,  prior  to  termination  of
employment,  may elect in  writing  to have the  aggregate  amount in his or her
Deferred Award Account paid to him or her in a lump sum on a designated date.

Nothing contained in this Plan and no action taken pursuant to the provisions of
this Plan shall  create or be  constructed  to create a trust of any kind,  or a
fiduciary  relationship  between NBT and the participant,  his or her designated
beneficiary  or any other person,  nor shall the  participant  or any designated
beneficiary  have any  preferred  claim on,  any  title  to,  or any  beneficial
interest in, the assets of NBT or the payments  deferred  hereunder prior to the
time such  payments are actually paid to the  participant  pursuant to the terms
herein. To the extent that the participant, his or her designated beneficiary or
any person  acquires a right to receive  payments from NBT under this Plan, such
right shall be no greater than the right of any  unsecured  general  creditor of
NBT.

The intent of this Section of the Plan is to create a voluntary,  non-qualified,
unfunded,  deferred executive  incentive  compensation Plan which will defer the
deduction of such incentive  compensation for tax purposes by NBT and which will
correspondingly  defer the  recognition of such  compensation by the participant
until such  compensation  is actually paid. It is therefore  intended,  and this
Plan shall be construed and where necessary  modified,  so that the participants
shall not be deemed to have constructively received such deferred compensation.

In the event of death,  any approved  award earned under the  provisions of this
plan will become payable to the beneficiary designated under this Plan; or if no
such designation,  to the designated  beneficiary of the participant as recorded
under the bank's  group life  insurance  program;  or in the  absence of a valid
designation, to the participant's estate.




                                       -5-
<PAGE>

SECTION VII - PLAN ADMINISTRATION


The Compensation  Committee shall,  with respect to the Plan have full power and
authority to construe,  interpret and manage,  control and administer this Plan,
and to pass and decide upon cases in conformity  with the objectives of the Plan
under such rules as the Board of Directors of the bank may establish.

Any decision made or action taken by the company, the Board of Directors, or the
Compensation   Committee   arising   out  of,  or  in   connection   with,   the
administration,  interpretation,  and  effect  of the  Plan  shall  be at  their
absolute discretion and will be conclusive and binding on all parties. No member
of the Board of Directors, Compensation Committee, or employee of the company or
any of its subsidiaries shall be liable for any act or action hereunder, whether
of omission or commission,  by a Plan participant or employee or by any agent to
whom  duties  in  connection  with  the  administration  of the Plan  have  been
delegated in accordance with the provision of the Plan.

SECTION VIII - AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION

NBT reserves the right, by and through its Board of Directors to amend,  modify,
suspend,  reinstate  or  terminate  all or part of the  Plan  at any  time.  The
Compensation  Committee will give prompt  written notice to each  participant of
any amendment,  suspension or termination  or any material  modification  of the
Plan. In the event of a merger or  acquisition,  the Plan and related  financial
formulas  will be reviewed  and adjusted to take into account the effect of such
activities.

SECTION IX - EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE PLAN

The effective date of the Plan shall be January 1, 2000.

SECTION X - EMPLOYER RELATION WITH PARTICIPANTS

Neither  establishment  nor the  maintenance  of the Plan shall be  construed as
conferring  any  legal  rights  upon  any   participant  or  any  person  for  a
continuation of employment, nor shall it interfere with the right of an employer
to discharge any  participant or otherwise  deal with him/her  without regard to
the existence of the Plan.

SECTION XI - GOVERNING LAW

Except to the extent  pre-empted  under federal law, the  provisions of the Plan
shall be construed,  administered  and enforced in accordance  with the domestic
internal law of the State of New York.  In the event of relevant  changes in the
Internal Revenue Code, related rulings and regulations, changes imposed by other
regulatory  agencies  affecting  the continued  appropriateness  of the Plan and
awards made  thereunder,  the Board may, at its sole  discretion,  accelerate or
change the manner of payments of any unpaid  awards or amend the  provisions  of
the Plan.



                                       -6-
<PAGE>

                           DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
                           FOR OFFICERS OF NBT BANCORP
                               ELECTION AGREEMENT


I, ___________________________,  hereby elect __ to __ not to participate in the
Deferred  Compensation  Plan for  Officers  of NBT  with  respect  to  Executive
Incentive  Compensation  (EICP) awards which I may receive for the calendar year
of __________.  I hereby elect to defer the payment of _________  (________%) of
the EICP award which I would otherwise be entitled to receive.

                   __ Please  defer payment of the  percentage  of my EICP award
                   specified above until the earlier of the following dates:

                   __ Until  __________________(Specify  date  which  may not be
                      later than the date on which I will retire).

                   __ Until the date of my death.

                   __ Begin   annual   payments  of  deferred   balance  on
                      __________________ in the amount of 1/5th the balance
                      each year until the  balance has been paid in full (5
                      year payout).

                   __ Because terms of the plan have changed since my election
                      to defer EICP awards,  please  discontinue my deferral
                      election and:

                   __ Roll my  deferred  account  proceeds  into  the  following
                      account at the institution indicated:
                      __________________________________________________________

                      __________________________________________________________

                   __ Please pay me out in cash, the balance of my account, at
                      this time.

                   __ I hereby  designate  the  following  person or  persons as
                      beneficiary hereunder in the event of my death:

                   Primary Beneficiary _________________________________________
                   Secondary Beneficiary _______________________________________

                   I hereby revoke any prior  election that may be  inconsistent
                   with the above.

I acknowledge that I have reviewed the plan and understand that my participation
will be subject to the terms and  conditions  contained  in the plan.  Words and
phrases used in this Election  Agreement shall have the meanings assigned by the
plan.

Dated this ________ day of _________, 2000

__________________________________________


<PAGE>