[Call to Order]
          [00:00:06]
          STAYING WITH STEVE'S THEME OF GET THE PARTY STARTED. WE'LL CALL A MEETING OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM TO ORDER. WE TOO HAVE THREE DOCKETS TONIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME. FIRST 
          [a. 2025-1268 – CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU RE:    APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY AND THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU FOR ONEIDA COUNTY, INC.  ]
DOCKET IS 2025 1268. CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. APPROVAL OF THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT AT THE SUM OF 1,100,000 A YEAR FOR A TWO YEAR CONTRACT. A LITTLE HISTORICAL ON THAT. IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD ONE YEAR CONTRACTS, AND KNOWING THAT DEVELOPMENT AND HOW TOURISM HAS ADVANCED, THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROPOSAL. SO WITH US, SIR. COME ON UP. AND IF YOU WOULD TELL US A LITTLE BIT, I KNOW THE RECENT THINGS. AND ALSO YOU'VE GOT AN ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP. BUT FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, WHAT TOURISM'S PUT IN PLACE AND YOUR PLANS NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT NOW HOW A TWO YEAR PLAN HELPS YOU PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I'LL REALLY, FOR A QUICK MENTION, THE ANNUAL MEETING FIRST. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER. THAT IS COMING UP ON MARCH 20TH. I WILL HAVE ACTUAL INVITATIONS TO BRING TO THE ENTIRE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS NEXT WEDNESDAY. IT'S AT 4:30 P.M. AT MUNSON. KEYNOTE SPEAKER ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE YEAR. NETWORKING. IT'S A REALLY GREAT EVENT. IT'S FREE. SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND. IT'S REALLY ALSO JUST A GREAT WAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, OUR MARKETING AGENCY, AND TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR GOALS RELATED TO THAT. YOU WILL. YOU ALL GOT A HANDOUT THAT MADISON FROM MY TEAM JUST PASSED OUT. SO ON ONE SIDE ARE OUR 2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE ARE 2025 GOALS. THIS IS A PRETTY CONDENSED VERSION, BUT LAST YEAR WAS DEFINITELY A BUSY YEAR. THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID WAS A STRATEGIC PLAN. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW WE WANTED TO DO, TO KIND THINGS ARE JUST SO DIFFERENT IN THE TOURISM LANDSCAPE THAT WE KNEW THAT WAS NECESSARY. A KIND OF RANDOM. A BIG THING. WE PAID OFF THE IDLE LOAN THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED, ACTUALLY A MONTH AGO. WE, AS YOU KNEW, MOVED OFFICE LOCATIONS. WE HAVE SPACE DOWNSTAIRS AND THEN ALSO IN UNION STATION. REALLY BIG. WE HAD THE SOLAR ECLIPSE HAPPENING, AND THAT WAS ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE IIHF TOURNAMENT. ACTUALLY, ON THE DAY OF USA VERSUS CANADA. TO ME, THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT SENSE OF SEEING HOW ONEIDA COUNTY TOURISM CAN COME IN AND COMPLEMENT THE EFFORTS OF WHAT OUR MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING. SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ONEIDA COUNTY, WITH ROB ESCH'S TEAM, WITH TURNING STONE, THE ADIRONDACK SPORTS COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, WE WERE ON THE CONSULTING CALLS. WE WERE PART OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND REALLY JUST HELPING TO TRY TO PROMOTE IT. WE ALSO TOOK A SEMI-NEW APPROACH WITH OUR MARKETING STRATEGY. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, MOST OF OUR MARKETING IS DONE OUTSIDE OF ONEIDA COUNTY. THAT MAKES SENSE. OUR BIGGEST GOAL IS TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE AREA, BUT WE CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED OUR LOCALS TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE, FEEL A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND THEN TO BE AMBASSADORS BECAUSE WE WANT, IF SOMEONE IS, WHETHER THEY'RE HEADING OUT FOR DRINKS AFTER A GAME, THEY'RE TAKING THEIR KIDS TO THE UTICA ZOO, THEY'RE STOPPING AT THE CONCIERGE IN THE HOTEL AND THEY'RE ASKING WHAT TO DO. WE WANT PEOPLE TO GIVE THEM A POSITIVE RESPONSE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT. IT WAS A SMALLER CAMPAIGN, BUT WE DID A BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN. THE ADIRONDACK SPORTS COUNCIL ACTUALLY LIKED OUR BILLBOARDS SO MUCH THAT THEY ENDED UP USING THEM FOR THEIRS TOO. AND REALLY, WE HAD A PRESENCE WITH THE UTICA CHAMBER AT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE EVENT. WE WERE THERE HANDING OUT BROCHURES. BUT IT WAS AMAZING TO BE PART OF THAT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S I THINK PART OF THE REASON THAT WE WANT NEXUS HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE KNOW IT'S BRINGING IN SO MANY PEOPLE. AROUND THAT TIME, WE LAUNCHED A DIGITAL TRAIL FOR DISCOVER UTICA THAT FEATURED OVER 100 BUSINESSES ACROSS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE CITY OF UTICA, WHERE IT WAS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE ATTENDING THE TOURNAMENT TO GO OUT AND EXPLORE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR ASSETS AND REALLY JUST DRIVE THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT. WE ALSO DIGITIZED OUR BEVERAGE TRAIL USING THE SAME PLATFORM, EXPANDED OUR CHEESE TRAIL. WE WERE ABLE TO ADD NORTH STAR ORCHARDS, SPECIFICALLY IN ONEIDA COUNTY, AND THEN SOMEONE IN OTSEGO COUNTY. I THEN WENT ON MATERNITY LEAVE, BUT OUR TEAM WAS ALSO VERY, VERY THEY WERE PARTICIPATING A LOT WITH THE LACROSSE BOX. LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES IN SEPTEMBER AGAIN HAD A PRESENCE THERE. I KNOW PETER WAS OVER THERE WORKING AND REALLY JUST MAKING SURE, AGAIN, THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UTICA CHAMBER, WE ADDED TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS. SO MICHAEL LEHR FROM THE UTICA COMETS AND THEN DANNY FRIEDEN FROM COPPER CITY BREWING. AND THE BIGGEST GOAL, ONE OF THE 
          [00:05:06]
BIGGEST GOALS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, THAT DEFINITELY CONTINUES ON AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, ALWAYS WILL, IS STRENGTHENING OUR OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS. SO, YOU KNOW, GOING TO TURNING STONE, HAVING MEETINGS. THEIR SALES TEAM HAS BEEN INVITING US OUT THERE. 
          THEY'RE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH, I THINK, TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THEIR MEETINGS, ALSO BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET OFF CAMPUS, I CALL IT, BUT GO AND EXPLORE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA. SO MADISON FROM OUR TEAM WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THEIR SALES REPRESENTATIVES, SOME OF THEIR SALES TEAM, AND WE DID THAT COMING UP FOR THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR WE HAVE BEEN MANAGING OR MADISON HAS BEEN MANAGING AN EDA GRANT, AND THAT IS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CENTRAL NEW YORK REGION. BUT ONEIDA COUNTY TOURISM IS THE ADMIN ON IT. AND WE'VE BEEN OVERSEEING SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS, SUCH AS THOSE TRAILS THAT I MENTIONED. WE HAVE A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ROVE. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION THERE ON WHAT THEY DO, BUT IT'S MORE DATA. YOU GUYS PROBABLY REMEMBER ME TALKING ABOUT ZYDECO A LOT LAST YEAR. FULL TRANSPARENCY. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE RIGHT TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WE WERE REALLY HOPING FOR THAT. A LOT OF THAT WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY CANNOT TRACK ANYTHING INTERNATIONAL. WE KNOW WE WERE READY FOR, YOU KNOW, IIHF AND LOOKING AT NUMBERS, BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF WHAT THE DIFFERENT PRIVACY SECURITY SETTINGS ARE. BUT ROVE IS VERY SIMILAR. BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING CALLED AIRDNA. SO THAT'S LOOKING AT SHORT TERM RENTAL DATA. WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THAT I WOULD SAY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'VE BEEN ONBOARDING WITH THEM. WE WILL GET THAT SPECIFIC TO ONEIDA COUNTY, BUT ALSO JUST VISITORS SPEND THAT KIND OF DATA THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. HAVING ACCESS TO THAT IS ALSO COMPLETELY CHANGING HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR MARKETING. I THINK WE'RE NOW IT'S KIND OF A CLICHE, BUT WE CAN MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS. 
          SO INSTEAD OF JUST, YOU KNOW, SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN ON THIS, WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN ON THAT. OUR MAIN PILLARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE SPECIFIC. SO WE PLAN MARKETING STRATEGY. THIS WILL BE NOT NECESSARILY BRINGING THE GROUPS IN, BECAUSE THEIR TEAM REALLY HAS A LOT OF THAT COVERED. ALTHOUGH WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO COMPLIMENT AND HELP WITH THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE ENCOURAGING. SIMILAR TO IIHF, REALLY TRYING TO BUILD OUT AND GET PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN THEY'RE HERE AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE. WE WANT THEM TO GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES VERSUS JUST SITTING IN THEIR HOTEL ROOM AND GOING TO A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE. OUR NEW TRAVEL GUIDE WILL BE COMING OUT IN THE BEGINNING OF APRIL. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE SO PROUD OF. WE DO EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE GREAT STATISTICS, NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO USE THOSE? AND YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE SKEPTICAL OF PRINT, BUT WE ASSURE YOU IT IS A REALLY AMAZING THING. EVEN LOCALLY, THE MOHAWK VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM WHEN WIN HOSPITAL TAKES THEM PALLETS OF THEM, BUT THEY GO OUT ACROSS THE STATE AND THE NORTHEAST. 
          SPORTS MARKETING I MENTIONED WE HAVE A FAM TOUR THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE SINCE 2019, SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING ON JUNE 12TH. I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY WHO YOU KNOW WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE AREA, IT'S REALLY IT WAS LAUNCHED INITIALLY TO HIT HOTELIERS FRONT DESK STAFF TO HELP THEM LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S REALLY OPEN TO ANYBODY. IT'S AN ADULT FIELD TRIP. WE GO TO 8 TO 10 SPOTS ACROSS ONEIDA COUNTY AND IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, QUICK LITTLE 20, 30 MINUTE STOPS. BUT THEN WE END WITH A NETWORKING EVENT WITH EVERYBODY. THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE WITH ROGIER COMMUNICATIONS. SO WE'RE GOING TO END AT PORTOFINO. AND SPEAKING OF PORTOFINO, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT CANAL THEMED HUGE YEAR FOR THE ERIE CANAL WITH THE BICENTENNIAL. SO WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THE CITY OF ROME, WITH SYLVAN BEACH AND THEN UTICA TO BE PLANNING EVENTS AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIC MARKETING, BEING REALLY MINDFUL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THREE SPOTS WITHIN ONEIDA COUNTY WHERE THE CANAL COMES THROUGH, WHERE WE HAVE THOSE LOCKS, THAT THAT IS A REASON THAT PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL AND THEY'LL TRAVEL OVERNIGHT. SO LOOKING AT THE MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY HISTORY BUFFS, WE'RE DOING SPECIFIC MARKETING CAMPAIGNS WITH C AND D ADVERTISING. WE'RE DOING CERTAIN PRINT PLACEMENTS, TRAVEL WRITERS, INFLUENCERS. SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT COMING TO FRUITION. I LEARNED YESTERDAY THAT THERE WILL BE A FLOATING CIRCUS COMING THROUGH. IT'S CALLED FLOTSAM, AND THEY'VE DONE IT LIKE ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. BUT I WAS TALKING WITH THE CANAL CORP TODAY, SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER. AND THEN THE SENECA CHIEF, WHICH IS THAT REPLICA OF THE FIRST BOAT THAT WAS ON THE CANAL, WILL BE LEAVING THE BUFFALO MARITIME CENTER AND THEN STOPPING AT EVERY CANAL COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY. SO WE AGAIN WILL HAVE THAT BOAT IN ONEIDA COUNTY FOR THREE 
          [00:10:04]
DAYS. HUGE OPPORTUNITY. BUT WE KNOW THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN DO. AND AS WE BUILD THAT OUT, WE ARE HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TURN THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT A STAPLE EVENT THAT WE CAN PROMOTE AND AGAIN, DRIVE THAT OVERNIGHT TRAFFIC. THEN NEXT YEAR, AMERICA 250 BUT WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THAT. AND THIS IS NOT FULLY PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AT THIS TIME. 
          BUT I DO THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING. MADISON FROM OUR TEAM WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE NEW YORK STATE TOURISM CONFERENCE THAT WILL BE COMING TO UTICA IN APRIL OF 2026. THIS IS A HUGE DEAL. WE WILL HAVE OVER 200 PEOPLE COMING TO UTICA. WE'LL BE DOING FAM TOURS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND SHOWCASING WHAT WE HAVE. THE DELTA IS THE MAIN CONFERENCE HOTEL. I BELIEVE IF WE HAVE OVERFLOW, WE'LL LOOK TO THE DOUBLETREE, BUT IT'LL BE FAM TOURS, LEARNING EVERYTHING FROM FORT STANWIX TO MUNSON TO HEADING OUT TOWARDS VERNON, WHATEVER REALLY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN. BUT WE CAN RUN A COUPLE OF THEM, BUT IT'S A REALLY BIG STAGE TO BE ON. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HOST THAT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ALL IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, THEY TRAVEL AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION AND THEY BRING IN VENDORS FROM OTHER AREAS TOO. 
          AND I WILL SAY, I THINK THE BIGGEST GOAL FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH IS REMINDS ME OF THE NICAEA CONFERENCE, BUT IS A REBRAND. WE ARE VERY OVERDUE FOR A REBRAND. I BELIEVE THE STAT IS THAT THEY'RE 73% OF OUR COUNTERPARTS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE HAVE A NAME OTHER THAN BLANK COUNTY TOURISM. WE KNOW THAT THAT DOESN'T REALLY RESONATE WITH PEOPLE. SO WE ARE HOPING TO START THAT PROCESS IN APRIL. IT'S LONG, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE THAT BRANDING IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN ORDER WHAT WE NEED TO PUT OUT OUR LOGO EVERYWHERE AS WE'RE PROMOTING THAT CONFERENCE, AND THEN HAVE THAT READY TO GO BY NEXT APRIL. SO PRETTY LONG WINDED ANSWER, BUT WE'RE KEEPING BUSY. ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT ME TO TOUCH ON? WELL VERY GOOD. TWO POINTS TO MY COLLEAGUES. THERE ARE TWO LEGISLATORS, MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS THAT SIT ON YOUR COMMITTEE. SO AND AGAIN, THIS IS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT OF THE MONEY THAT'S GENERATED FROM THE BED TAX. NOT ALL OF IT, BUT A PORTION GOES TOWARD THIS. I KNOW THERE WAS A QUESTION FROM COMMITTEE OF THE 1.1 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS THAT EACH YEAR THAT DOESN'T RESTRICT TOURISM FROM DEVELOPING A SPECIAL PROGRAM OR SOMETHING, OR A REQUEST THAT COULD GO BEYOND THAT, IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT CAME FORWARD AT ANOTHER TIME, SO WOULD THAT. QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EXPLANATION. ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK GOD FOR THE CHAIRMAN ON OCCUPANCY TAX. WE HAD DONE THE INCREASE FROM 2 TO 5% A FEW YEARS AGO, AND INITIALLY OUR PROJECTIONS WERE ABOUT 2.5 MILLION. CAN WE GET AN UPDATED ANALYSIS ON THE FINANCIALS OF HOW MUCH MONEY THAT'S TAKING IN? SURE. AND ALSO WHAT OTHER INITIATIVES? I KNOW SMALL ONE THERE WITH THE ONEIDA COUNTY FAIR, I BELIEVE CAME FROM THAT FUND. SO I'LL REQUEST THAT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT. STEVE. YEAH. JUST QUICKLY, ARE YOU FOLKS ALSO COORDINATE WITH LIKE, I LOVE NEW YORK AND ALL THE NEW YORK STATE EFFORTS AS WELL? OH, YEAH. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE REBRANDING THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON IT THIS YEAR AND ARE YOU DOING IT YOURSELF OR YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE A FIRM TO HELP YOU REBRAND? OH, WE HAVE AN RFP PREPARED AND READY TO GO. WE JUST ARE WAITING ON A COUPLE PRELIMINARY STEPS AND OKAYS BEFORE WE DEPLOY THAT. GOTCHA. OKAY, THANKS, BUT IT'LL BE AN OUTSIDE FIRM, I THINK. STEVE, THEY ALREADY ELIMINATED ONE OF THE REBRAND SUGGESTIONS. SOMETHING LIKE REMSEN. IT'S WHERE IT'S AT. THAT WAS KICKED OUT EARLY. SO IT'S ALREADY. IT'S ALREADY IN USE. TRADEMARK. 
          FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE. AS FAR AS REBRANDING, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY COME UP WITH A NEW LOGO. MVCC HAS AN EXCELLENT DEPARTMENT IN GRAPHIC DESIGN. THEY'VE DONE SOME OUTSTANDING STUFF. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D WANT TO ENTERTAIN. I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE HERE. YEAH. YEAH. BIG IDEA TODAY. YEAH. YEAH, THEY DO SOME GREAT WORK. THEY GOT A GREAT DEPARTMENT AND MIGHT SAVE YOU SOME MONEY. NO, THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW. I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHERE IT WILL INCLUDE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, BUT NOT JUST TOURISM PARTNERS. ALSO PEOPLE FROM ONEIDA COUNTY, FROM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT THAT REALLY JUST HAVE A KIND OF A BUY IN TO THE BRAND. ANOTHER COOL THING ABOUT ROVE THAT WE'RE GETTING IS A RESIDENT SENTIMENT SURVEY. SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEND THAT OUT. IT'S NOT PART OF THE ACTUAL REBRAND PROCESS, BUT I THINK IT COULD BE USEFUL INFORMATION EITHER WAY TO REALLY THINK AND UNDERSTAND HOW OUR RESIDENTS VIEW TOURISM, HOW DO THEY VIEW THE AREA? AND THAT CAN HELP US, YOU KNOW, WITH FUTURE MARKETING PLANS AS WELL. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS PERTAINING TO OTHER GRANTS, 
          [00:15:02]
STATE GRANTS. I KNOW IN THE PAST YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTEN SOME GRANTS. YEP. ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY NEW INITIATIVES FOR SOME NEW MONEY FROM STATE? FEDERAL? IS THAT A POSSIBLE. WELL, THE EDA GRANT RUNS OUT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A BUMMER, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING THINGS, SUCH AS BOTH THESE DATA PLATFORMS, WHICH WE KNOW WE NEED MOVING FORWARD FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          EVEN THE DIGITAL TRAILS. WE'RE WORKING ON AN AGRICULTURE TRAIL RIGHT NOW TOO, THAT WILL HAVE LIKE THE FARMER'S MARKETS AND BARN QUILT, FARM STANDS, CHEESE TRAIL. BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO KEEP THAT MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T KNOW OF OPPORTUNITIES YET. HOWEVER, WE STILL DO MATCHING FUNDS WITH NEW YORK STATE. WE HAVE DONE THAT EVERY YEAR. THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE AS AS FAR AS THEY KNOW. SO THAT YEAH, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP KEEP OUR EARS OPEN. HOW'S THAT RICK. THAT WAS A GREAT SUGGESTION. I'LL SEE IF I CAN HOOK UP THE MVCC WITH TOURISM AND LET THEM CONNECT. I'LL REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO. 
          [b. 2025-1219 – PLANNING RE:    RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION WITH THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 FEDERAL SECTION 5311 GRANT FOR THE RURAL AND NONURBANIZED MOBILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICE IN ONEIDA COUNTY  ]
PASS UNANIMOUSLY. AND THE DOCKET TWO. JAMES, IF YOU'D COME UP 20, 25, 1219 IS SECTION OF A FORMULA GRANT FOR RURAL AREA PROGRAM. CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION RESOLUTION APPROVAL. AND JAMES IS GOING TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS. YEAH. THIS IS A RURAL TRANSIT MONEY FOR MOBILITY MANAGEMENT, WHICH COMPLEMENTS THE ONEIDA COUNTY RURAL TRANSIT, WHICH YOU GUYS RECALL WE RELAUNCHED IN 2024. IT BASICALLY HELPS US. IT'S AN RFP PROCESS TO GET CONSULTANT. YOU GO AND YOU HAVE TO DO THAT BY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND THEN YOU USE THAT AND WORK WITH THEM IN ORDER TO GIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TECHNOLOGY, OTHER THINGS TO SEE WHERE YOU CAN EXPAND AND DO MORE SERVICE. IT'S JUST MANAGING. IT'S MANAGING, MANAGING THE ROUTES. FROM WHAT I READ THAT THERE'S NO COUNTY FUNDS INVOLVED IN THE APPLICATION ITSELF, AND IF MONEY IS AWARDED, IT'S A 10% MATCH FROM THE COUNTY. AND YEAH, IT'S PLANNING. YEAH. SO YOU COULD CLAIM OTHER EXPENDITURES IN THE GRANT. YEP. WE BUILD BACK. YEP. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE. SEEING NONE WILL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS DOCKET, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? NO. DOCKET CARRIES. THANK YOU. JAMES. WELCOME. AND WE SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST. OH, NO. OH! MVCC HAS A 
          [c. 2025-1295 – MVCC RE:  TRANSFER OF $150,000.00 TO A-2400-2485-495-298 – COMMUNITY COLLEGE – MVCC THINCUBATOR  ]
PROPOSAL IN THERE WITH A MOHAWK VALLEY PROPOSAL OF THE THINKUBATOR. AND PRESIDENT RANDY. WANT TO STEP UP THERE AND SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? IT'S SIMPLY A TRANSFER OF THE 120, $150,000 FROM THE CONTINGENCY BUDGET. YEAH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, OVER TEN YEARS AGO, WE MVCC RECEIVED THE DESIGNATION FOR THE INNOVATION HOTSPOT STATE GRANT FOR THE REGIONAL STARTUP ACCELERATOR. WE'RE THE ONLY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE STATE THAT HAS IT HAS THAT DESIGNATION. AND JUST PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH SUNY POLY, AND WE BROUGHT THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER UNDER THE SAME ROOF AS THE INCUBATOR. THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE TO HAVE BOTH FUNCTIONS TOGETHER. AND IT REALLY HAS BECOME THE HUB OF THE STARTUP STARTUP ECOSYSTEM IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY. AND A FEW YEARS AGO, FRANK AND I APPROACHED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE LOOKING FOR, I WOULD CALL IT LIKE THOSE STRETCH DOLLARS TO GO BEYOND THAT GRANT, TO REALLY MAKE A LARGER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. AND HE'S BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN THE DISCRETIONARY ASPECT TO THAT. AND I THINK AND FRANK OVERSEES FRANK DUROSS OVERSEES THE OPERATIONS THERE AT THE THINKUBATOR. AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS LOOKING TO MAKE IT A MORE OF AN ONGOING BUDGET ITEM VERSUS A JUST AN ANNUAL ASK. AND FRANK CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS THAN I CAN, BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL PICTURE, RIGHT? AND THE PROPOSAL THERE THAT OUTLINES A REQUEST OF A MORE PERMANENT ASPECT IN THE PAST. WAS THERE ANY OF THAT MONEY USED TO DEVELOP THE IDEA OF AN OUTSTANDING NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM FROM THE COLLEGE? YEAH, WELL, WE'RE MOVING ON. THE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ARE IN THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK, SO. VERY GOOD. 
          BUT ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE ON THIS DOCKET, FRANK? ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO IT? COME ON DOWN. I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE QUICK BULLET POINTS. THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. HERE IT 
          [00:20:04]
IS. THE FIVE YEAR SURVIVAL RATE FOR A BUSINESS THAT GOES THROUGH OUR SBDC IS 80%. A NON SBDC COMPANY IS 50%. THE REVENUE GROWTH THROUGH A COMPANY THAT COMES TO OUR TRAINING AT THE THINKUBATOR THROUGH SBDC IS 15 TO 30% HIGHER THAN A COMPANY THAT DOESN'T COME THROUGH OUR TRAINING. THE JOB CREATION SBDC CLIENTS CREATE THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF JOBS THE NON SBDC CLIENTS. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY, LAST YEAR WE MET WITH 1120 INDIVIDUALS AT THE THINKUBATOR OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD. 80% OF THOSE WERE COUNSELING. ONE ON ONE COUNSELING. WE'VE GOT FOUR PEOPLE AT THE SBDC THAT COUNSEL ONE ON ONE FREE SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO START UP A BUSINESS. LAST YEAR WE WERE SUCCESSFUL OUR CLIENTS IN STARTING UP 57 BUSINESSES. LAST YEAR THE CAPITAL PUT INTO BUSINESSES FROM EITHER THE OWNER OR BANKS WAS $5 MILLION FOR THE CLIENTS. THAT'S GONE THROUGH THE INCUBATOR. SO WHAT DOES EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE STATISTICS. AND I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR EITHER OF YOU. HOW DOES THAT GET PROMOTED OUT TO STARTUP BUSINESSES? WELL, WE'RE OUT ALL THE TIME. IT'S A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S CERTAINLY SOCIAL MEDIA. WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF WE PUT ON PROBABLY 12 TO 18 EVENTS A YEAR AND INVITE PEOPLE TO THE INCUBATOR. WE PUT ON SEMINARS. WE DO TRAINING FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO THROUGH QUICKBOOKS, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO START A WEBSITE. THERE'S ALL TYPES OF OUTREACH. IT'S VERY IT'S VERY DIGITAL AT THIS POINT. SO JUST A SUGGESTION AND MAYBE I'M OFF BASE OR NOT. BUT IF A COMPANY IS LOOKING TO START UP, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO COME TO A TOWN LEVEL FIRST, EITHER WITH PLANNING OR SOMETHING IN TOWN GOVERNMENT. 
          AND STEVE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD TO IT OF THE IDEA OF APPROACHING THE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS THAT HAS A STRUCTURE TO MAKE THEM AWARE, TO GO BACK TO THE TOWN BOARDS OF, HEY, THERE'S A BUSINESS IN VERNON THAT WANTS TO START. THEIR FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE EITHER PLANNING OR CODES, OR SOMEBODY IN THE TOWN OFFICE THAT THAT MIGHT BE. AND IF THERE'S A SMALL ONE FLIER THAT HIGHLIGHTS YOUR WAY UP, THAT WOULD BE I WOULD LOVE TO A GREAT CONNECTION. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE HAVE A MEETING COMING UP HERE IN MARCH AND I'D LOVE TO COME. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE MOUS AND WE WORK WITH ONEIDA COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE WORK WITH EDGE, WE WORK WITH THE CITY OF UTICA. WE DO SOME COUNSELING WHEN THEY A LOT OF BANKS, WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS IN A BANK SAYS, I'M GOING TO START A BUSINESS, WHAT DO I DO? THEY SEND THEM TO US TYPICALLY, AND WE HELP THEM WITH THE BUSINESS PLAN. OTHER QUESTIONS RICK, A COUPLE THINGS, FRANK, FOR WAYS AND MEANS NEXT WEEK, CAN YOU GIVE US A LIST OF SOME OF YOUR SUCCESS STORIES? SURE. SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT STARTED THROUGH THE YEAR, I'LL BE THERE AND WHERE THEY'RE AT AT THIS POINT, MAYBE HOW MANY EMPLOYEES THAT THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US. NUMBER TWO, NOT FOR YOU, FRANK, BUT FOR THE BOARD, FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD. THIS MONEY IS COMING OUT OF CONTINGENT ACCOUNT. I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN ACCOUNTING OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH A CONTINGENT FUND. HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THERE? AND TO FOREWARN ON A DIFFICULT YEAR THERE WERE IN STORE FOR, AS MOST OF US KNOW, SALES REVENUE, SALES TAX REVENUE FLATLINED. THE LATEST STATISTICS ARE WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SO I WANT TO FOREWARN THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS BOARD. NOT ONLY THAT IS A CONCERN, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGING BUDGET, MORE SO THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THE ESCALATION OF OIN MONEY AND SALES TAX. SO LET'S LET'S BE COGNIZANT OF THAT AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE BUDGET AND THE BUDGET PROCESS WILL BE STARTING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN FIVE MONTHS. SO LET'S LET'S BE AWARE OF THAT. AND CONTINGENT MONEY IS VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD I WOULD THINK RICK, THAT THROUGH WAYS AND MEANS THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN READDRESS THAT OKAY. WHAT'S THERE STEVE YOU GOT A COMMENT. QUESTION. YEAH. JUST TWO QUICK LITTLE COMMENTS. THE WORK THE INCUBATOR DOES ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO, 18 YEARS AGO, AND I MOVED BACK TO THE AREA. I USED THE INCUBATOR TO START MY LITTLE RESTAURANT UP IN REMSEN, AND THEY WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL, AND IT GAVE ME A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS AND HELPED ME BUILD A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS PLAN FOR SOMETHING THAT THAT WAS GOING INTO NEW VENTURE THAT HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND JUST A LITTLE TESTIMONIAL. AND THE OTHER THING IS, I WANT TO ECHO LEGISLATOR IDEA ABOUT USING THE MVCC TO PERHAPS HELP WITH A LOGO. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT ABOUT 50 YEARS AGO, BILL BOWERMAN AND PHIL KNIGHT WERE LOOKING TO REBRAND NIKE AND THEY WANTED TO GET A LOGO, AND THEY WENT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND THEY PAID 
          [00:25:03]
$35 TO A LADY THAT WORKED AT A LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND SHE CAME UP WITH THIS WISH. AND NOW IT'S REST IS HISTORY. SO GOOD, GOOD PARTNERSHIP. 35 BUCKS WAS ALL THEY PAID BACK THEN. BUT INFLATION WOULD BE MORE NOW. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF SAHIB SINGH. HE'S A PRESIDENT OF PAS. HE CAME DOWN TO THE THINKUBATOR BECAUSE HE SAW IT ONLINE. HE WAS A HEDGE FUND GUY IN NEW YORK CITY. HE LOVED WHAT WE HAD AT THE THINKUBATOR, ENDED UP GETTING THE JOB AS PRESIDENT AND WORKS OUT OF THERE. AND THE SECOND THING IS A COMPANY KNOWN AS FAB MATTOCKS. THEY'RE OUT OF GERMANY, BUT THE US HEADQUARTERS IS IN SALT LAKE CITY. AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND INSTALL ROBOTS IN SEMICONDUCTOR PLANTS THAT AREN'T AUTOMATIC. THEY WANTED THOMAS BIG TO MOVE TO SALT LAKE CITY, AND HE WOULDN'T MOVE TO SALT LAKE CITY. HE MOVED TO ONEIDA COUNTY, AND THEY AGREED TO MOVE THE HEADQUARTERS TO THE THINKUBATOR. THEY'VE GOT 20 PEOPLE STARTING AND THEIR TECHNICIANS MAKING 80 TO $100,000 A YEAR. SO THIS ALL CAME THROUGH TO THINKUBATOR. JUST TO FOLLOW UP, FRANK, YOU'VE HAD SOME TREMENDOUS SUCCESS STORIES. DO THESE INDIVIDUALS, AFTER THEY'VE MADE SOME DECENT MONEY, EVER COME BACK TO YOU AND THROW YOU SOME MONEY? YEAH, WE HAVE WE'VE GOT NUMEROUS NVCC ALUMS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE STARTED BUSINESSES THAT DO DONATE TO THIS FUND THAT WE HAVE TO OPERATE THE THINKUBATOR. 
          RIGHT. THE MONEY COMES FROM THE STATE, IT COMES FROM DONORS. IT COMES FROM RENT THAT WE COLLECT FROM OUR COWORKING SPACE AND OUR NINE OFFICES. SO WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CURRENT COWORKER AT THE AT THE THINKUBATOR WHO APPROACHED FRANK AND I JUST LAST WEEK AND TOLD US THAT HE'S ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE SO MUCH AND THE SUPPORT AND JUST THE ENVIRONMENT, HIS CONNECTION TO THE HIS SENSE OF CONNECTION TO THE COLLEGE IS SUCH THAT HE'S GOING TO DONATE A PERCENTAGE OF EVERY ONE OF HIS. SO COULD THAT ON A PROJECT BASIS AND EVERY ONE OF HIS PROJECTS. SO HE STARTED THERE. HE WAS FROM NEW YORK CITY. HE MOVED BACK HERE TO HELP TAKE CARE OF HIS FATHER, WHO WAS ELDERLY. AND HE LOVES THE THINKUBATOR AND HE DOES PROGRAMING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. AND HE STARTED THIS BUSINESS THERE, AND HE WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE BACK TO THE MONEY THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THE COLLEGE AND THINGS. SHOULD WE REDUCE OUR 150 THEN SO THAT HE'S JUST STARTING? NOT YET. OKAY, RICK. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE SEEING NONE WILL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. 
          OPPOSED. SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU FOR YOU GUYS COMING. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE? MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVED BY MIKE. SECONDED BY STEVE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.