North Country wins $10M REDC challenge

PLATTSBURGH | Economic development in the North Country won a $10 million award for their "Next Move NY" plan. It is part of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) proposal for 2023. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement Thursday: The North Country, Mohawk Valley and Long Island councils will split $30 million. NEXT MOVE NY North Country REDC co-chairs Katheryn Morris and James B. McKenna said the $10 million award will fund Next Move NY, a project developed to help military personnel transition into civilian life and work. "The announcement today by Governor Kathy Hochul that the North Country Regional Economic Development Council won the statewide competition for its plan 'Next Move NY' is a win for transitioning soldiers, the North Country and New York State," McKenna and Morris said in a joint statement. "This program will offer transitioning soldiers from Fort Drum a seamless connection to jobs, credentialing and degrees in the North Country. Our goal now will be to work with all of our partners and New York State and put this plan in motion to help solve the workforce issue for the North Country. Next Move NY will build the most robust workforce pipeline for transitioning soldiers and their spouses in the country." Hochul said the funds support "bold proposals" that address the housing crisis and bolster workforce development. "This year's winners crafted proposals to create housing, grow our workforce, and strengthen the talent pipeline, and thanks to state investment, REDCs in Long Island, the Mohawk Valley, and the North Country will get the resources they need to put those plans into action." 3,600 SOLDIERS In their proposal, the development council said over 3,600 soldiers and approximately 1,000 spouses transition out of the service from Fort Drum into civilian life each year. The North Country has an opportunity to gain over 46,000 new members of the workforce over the next decade. "Fort Drum is the largest Army installation in the northeastern United States and is New York's largest single site employer with over 15,000 active-duty service members stationed in Watertown," NCREDC states in the proposal. "Through Fort Drum, soldiers and their families are attracted from communities across the nation to live, work and serve in New York State. Upon leaving the Army, these soldiers and their spouses represent an incredible untapped resource to grow and diversify our region and meet our workforce needs." The North Country council said the economy in this region is projected to see tremendous job growth over the next decade, generating the need for tens of thousands of new workers. "The region's colleges, universities, trainers, and workforce partners are employing every tool at their disposal to meet future workforce needs, but due to rising retirements and changing demographics, the challenge is daunting, and the stakes are high for the region's future economic vitality and growth." North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said the $10 million in workforce development support is especially welcome. "We have been saying that the only ultimate answer to having too few people is to have more people, and our area knows that major military bases are a real source of new residents and talent with the right support systems and encouragement," Douglas said. "We have been recruiting on behalf of our manufacturers at Fort Drum for some years and now look forward to collaborating with a broader initiative. We congratulate the REDC on this latest success and we thank Gov. Hochul for her confidence. Onward and upward!" Douglas said the REDC process has provided the North Country with a pathway to punch above its weight from the start. He served as inaugural co-chair of the regional council through the first decade. On Thursday, he praised updated strategy in the 2023 plan. "The update of the original plan hits all of the right marks, from stronger attention to the need for affordable housing as a key part of economic development to the continued and evolving opportunities related to our special Canadian connection to updated support for advanced manufacturing, including the region's transportation equipment cluster." As part of the 2023 proposal, North Country economic development leaders have created a work group to help communities update zoning for affordable housing, bringing in expertise from the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board, DANC and the Fort Drum Compatibility Committee. REDC EVALUATION Proposals from all 10 REDCs were evaluated by a Strategic Implementation Assessment Team led by Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. "Three regions of our great and geographically diverse state have been selected to tackle the most pressing challenges within their communities," Rodriguez said in a statement issued Thursday. "With a focus on housing, workforce development, and tourism, these strategic investments will strengthen the communities' economic vision." At Empire State Development (ESD), Commissioner and President Hope Knight said work to alleviate the state's most pressing challenges will help grow the economy. "The Long Island, Mohawk Valley and North Country regions have created impressive strategic plans rooted in their areas that will create crucial access to job training and to homes where New Yorkers can anchor and grow their lives and careers." Since its inception in 2011, New York's REDC Initiative has awarded over $7.9 billion to more than 9,900 projects. The North Country REDC encompasses the largest geographical area of all 10 councils, coordinating economic development projects in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Lewis counties. The entire 2023 North Country REDC proposal can be downloaded and viewed online: regionalcouncils.ny.gov/north-country

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North Country wins $10M REDC challenge

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