[Call to Order]
          [00:00:07]
          CALL THE MEETING OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM TO ORDER. NOT YET. WE HAVE FOUR 
          [a. 2025-2169 – MVEDGE RE:     APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ONEIDA COUNTY AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWTH ENTERPRISES CORPORATION, D/B/A MOHAWK VALLEY EDGE  ]
EXCITING DOCUMENTS FOR TONIGHT. THE FIRST ONE WE START WITH IS 20, 25, 21, 69, MOHAWK VALLEY EDGE. THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL CONTRACT THAT HELPS PROMOTE FOSTERING, ADVANCING, PROMOTING GENERAL ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN ONEIDA COUNTY. I KNOW SHAWN IS STANDING BACK THERE SOMEWHERE. IF YOU WOULD STEP UP THERE FOR A MINUTE, TOTAL COST OF THIS PROPOSED IS 449,874 FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026, BECAUSE THIS IS A 100% COUNTY INVESTMENT, TYPICAL QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT DO WE GET IN OUR RETURNS FOR A REVIEW AND ALSO FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS THAT WILL BE JOINING MOHAWK VALLEY? EDGE DOES DO VERY IN-DEPTH QUARTERLY MEETINGS AS UPDATES FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND ANY LEGISLATOR. WHEN THOSE DATES GET POSTED, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THAT A HIGH PRIORITY TO ATTEND. IN THE MEANTIME, I ASKED SHAUNA MAYBE TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF MAYBE SOME OF THE GRANTS AND PROJECTS, JUST AS A REVIEW FOR BOARD MEMBERS. WHAT DO WE GET IN RETURN? SO, SHAUNA, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME SPEAK. WE TAKE ON THE INITIATIVE OF BEING THE LEAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR ONEIDA COUNTY, WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SHAWN COLETTA. GREAT EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE WORK ON IS THE CHOBANI PROJECT THAT WE ARE THE BACK SUPPORT. WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE TRIANGLE SITE TO BRING IT ONLINE FOR WHAT WE CALL ONE OF THE NEXT BIG SITES, AND BASICALLY IT'S JUST VETTING. DOES THE SITE HAVE THE QUALITIES TO BE PUT FORWARD TO LEADS? AND IT'S PART OF THAT WHOLE ATTRACT SIDE OF THE EDGE HOUSE ATTRACT IS GOING OUT FINDING COMPANIES THAT ARE NOT HERE OR DIVISIONS OF COMPANIES NOT HERE, AND WORK AGGRESSIVELY TO BRING THEM HERE. THE THINGS YOU NEED ARE SITES. 
          YOU THEN ALSO NEED THE WORKFORCE. YOU NEED ALL THE AMENITIES THAT GO WITH THAT. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING NOW IS ELECTRICITY AND OTHER UTILITIES. 
          WE'VE ALSO WORKED AGGRESSIVELY WITH THE MARCY NANO CENTER SITE. AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO TO SEMICON WEST AND, YOU KNOW, MARKET THAT 127 ACRES REMAINING, WHAT WE FIND IS BECAUSE WE DID ALL THE PRE-WORK, WE HAVE THE UTILITIES, THE PERMITS READY TO GO. IT'S ONE OF THE PREMIER SITES IN IN THE COUNTRY. CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE IN A DOWN CYCLE. SO ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO AT EDGE IS WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT INDUSTRIES, INDUSTRY CLUSTERS, THOSE THAT WE HAVE HERE AND THOSE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FORWARD. 
          WE FOCUS ON SUPPLY CHAIN. AND CAN YOU EXPAND COMPANIES HERE, SUCH AS IN THE AG INDUSTRY OR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, AND HOW DO YOU UPSCALE THEM? AND SO OUR FOCUS IS AROUND HELPING THE COMPANIES, IDENTIFYING THE WORKFORCES THAT ARE NEEDED. WE ALSO HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE BUSINESS OUTREACH PROGRAM. AND WHAT THAT IS, IS TO BE SURE, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BRINGING COMPANIES HERE. IT'S SPENDING TIME WITH COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE. ONE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ONEIDA COUNTY ON IS THE MICRO-ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, AND THAT'S BASICALLY MONEY THAT FLOWS FROM NEW YORK STATE THROUGH EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL TO THE COUNTY, THEN TO EDGE. AND WHAT THAT IS, IS IT'S REALLY SPENDING TIME WITH A LOT OF VERY SMALL COMPANIES THAT NEED A LOT OF HANDHOLDING. AND WHAT DO THEY NEED TO GROW AND EXPAND? SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WE OPERATE AND RUN. YOU ALSO, IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN THROUGH GRIFFITH PARK, LET US KNOW. WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A TOUR. THAT'S ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE TAKEN ON OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS. 
          I'LL SAY ONE THING. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD PERSPECTIVE. I'VE BEEN BLESSED IN MY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAREER TO WORK ON THREE GENERATIONAL PROJECTS GRIFFITH'S, MARCY, NOW CHOBANI. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO IS TO GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY THAT NEXT BIG SITE. AND WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH NATIONAL GRID AND OTHER PARTNERS OF HOW TO FUND ASSESSMENTS OF THOSE SITES. 
          WE'VE IDENTIFIED ONE THAT'S OVER 1000 ACRES. AND EVERY TIME I GO TELL OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS ABOUT THAT, THEIR EYES POP AND NOT COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT. SO 
          [00:05:02]
THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK VERY CAREFULLY ON, TO PUT SOME PERSPECTIVE TO THE NEW MEMBERS. MOHAWK VALLEY EDGE IS ALSO THE ORGANIZATION THAT STAFFS THE GRIFFITH'S LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE ONEIDA COUNTY IDA AND LDC. THE IDA IS THE THE TOOL TO PROVIDE TAX INCENTIVES OF PILOTS SALES TAX EXEMPTION AND MORTGAGE MORTGAGE TAX EXEMPTION. IT'S INSTRUMENTALITY CREATED THROUGH THE STATE WITH THE COUNTY TO HAVE THAT TOOL TO HELP BUSINESSES THAT ARE GROWING AND EXPANDING. WE ALSO ARE OUR STAFF TO THE UTICA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ROME INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SO WE HAVE A FULL SERVICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO WHEN A COMPANY OR A BUSINESS HAS A NEED, WE DON'T TELL THEM TO GO TO EACH ONE OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY. WE ARE THE CONDUIT TO HELP COORDINATE THOSE SERVICES FOR THEM. VERY GOOD. AND I APPRECIATE THE THE EXPLANATION. 
          AND I KNOW WHEN WE DO OUR UPDATE, I WANT YOU TO TOUCH ON EDGE'S ROLE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND A REGIONAL PEACE. AND YOU AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS. ANOTHER ROLE, AS RICK KNOWS THAT I PLAY, IS WITH CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL MARKET AUTHORITY. I SIT ON THAT BOARD AND IT'S A DIRECT COMPETITOR WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE EDGE BOARD IN ONEIDA COUNTY ARE TRYING TO PROMOTE. SO TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT AND WHAT WHAT GRANTS, I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SYRACUSE ONE. WANT TO SEE AND MAKE THAT COMPARISON. QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS, RICK. JUST ADDITION OF BROWNFIELD. I KNOW YOU HAD SPOKEN ON THAT AND YOU WANTED A REQUEST FROM LEGISLATORS ON ANY BROWNFIELDS IN THEIR AREA. 
          QUICK UPDATE ON THAT. YEP. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EDGE HAS GONE AFTER AND RECEIVED IS SOME EPA FUNDING, TWO DIFFERENT POOLS WE WENT AFTER. ONE IS FOR ASSESSMENT. IT'S BASICALLY IDENTIFYING PARCELS OF LAND THAT, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED A PHASE ONE OR PHASE TWO. SO WE'RE DOING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY. IN CONJUNCTION TO THAT, WE ALSO WENT OVER, WENT AFTER AND CAPTURED DOLLARS TO DO ACTUAL REMEDIATION. IF IT'S FOUND, THE MONEY HAS TO BE MATCHED. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY. SITES DON'T HAVE TO BE MEGA SITES. WE'RE DOING SMALLER SITES IN ROME AND UTICA, AND IF SOMEBODY KNOWS OF SITES THAT NEED TO BE ASSESSED, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CONVERSATION AND SEE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST REMINDS ME THAT IT'S ALL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR REFERENCE, WE'RE HOPING COME NEXT WEEK, THE STATE WILL ANNOUNCE THE REGIONAL COUNCIL COMPETITIONS. AND EDGE PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND THESE BIG IMPACT PROJECTS FOR THE REGIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. STATE. WE'VE ALWAYS REFERENCED IT AS THE HUNGER GAMES BY THE STATE. THEY'RE PITTING THE REGIONS AGAINST EACH OTHER. IT'S WE WILL STILL GET PROJECTS FUNDED IF WE DON'T GET THE BIG PRIZE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO GO AFTER THE BIG PRIZE. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEM, EVENTUALLY, WE HOPE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, AS WE WORK WITH THE COUNTY CLOSELY ON REIMAGINING SAINT LUKE'S AND WHAT HAPPENS THERE. SO REMIND ME OF WHAT WAS SUBMITTED FROM OUR REGION, FROM OUR REGION. SO WE INCLUDE A SIX COUNTY REGION. 
          WE GO SOUTH. THE THE ACHIEVED PROJECTS. THAT WAS FOR THE BIGGER MONEY IS THE AREA IN UTICA BETWEEN THE NEXUS CENTER AND HOTEL STREET. IT'S A THREE BLOCK AREA AND IT'S TO HAVE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THERE OF HOUSING, MORE RECREATION, POSSIBLE. HOTEL. ALSO SUBMITTED WAS A HOTEL DOWN IN RICHFIELD SPRINGS, AND THEN THERE WERE A BUNCH OF CAPITAL PROJECTS BY ONE OF THE SCHOHARIE COUNTY EDUCATORS. BUT THERE WAS ALSO THEN A MIXTURE OF A LOT OF SMALLER INITIATIVE AND PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE COMMUNITIES WANTED TO SEE PUT FORWARD. SO, AS SHAWN MENTIONED, THE PROJECTS AND SHE SAID A MINUTE AGO OF OUR COUNTY REGION IN THIS SIX COUNTY GOES EAST AS FAR AS COBLESKILL, SCHOHARIE. SO IT'S ALL PROJECTS. BASICALLY CANAJOHARIE DOWN THROUGH, CORRECT? CORRECT. IN THERE. SO WHEN YOU SEE A SMALLER A RICHFIELD SPRINGS, ETC. COMPARED TO THE PROJECT THAT WAS SUBMITTED UNDER THE REGIONAL MARKET AUTHORITY WAS A $40 MILLION PROJECT FOR AN UPGRADE AT THE THE MARKETS IN SYRACUSE. SO FROM WHERE I SIT, IT'S JUST INTERESTING SEEING TWO BOARDS AND THE COMPETITIONS. 
          [00:10:04]
LIKE LIKE SHAWN SAYS, IT'S TRULY WHO WHO IN YOUR AREA CAN PUT FORWARD THE BIGGEST AND BEST GRANTS. SO THE STATE WANTED REGIONS TO WORK TOGETHER. THEY GAVE SUCH A SMALL WINDOW OF US TO SAY, GO WORK WITH SYRACUSE OR THE ALBANY REGION. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH A VERY SIMILAR PROGRAM THIS COMING YEAR. SO WE'RE GOING TO ALREADY REACH OUT TO THOSE REGIONS. YOU END UP WITH MORE MONEY, MORE POINTS. 
          IF YOU DO THAT. THERE ARE ENOUGH PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON BETWEEN SYRACUSE, ROCHESTER, BUFFALO, ALBANY ON SEMICONDUCTOR THAT IT'S WELL WORTH SPENDING THE TIME THERE'S A NEED FOR HOUSING ALL OVER. IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT THAT AS A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR. VERY GOOD. RICK. ALSO, ANYBODY ELSE FROM COMMITTEE SEEING NONE WILL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NO. THAT PROPOSAL CARRIES UNANIMOUS. SHAUNA, THANKS FOR WEATHER COMING OUT IN THOSE ROADS TO GET HERE TONIGHT. NEXT 
          [b. 2025-2237 – PLANNING RE:                 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $515,140.00 TO A 5630 5630.495-000 – OTHER EXPENSE (PLANNING)  ]
DOCKET. WE'LL BRING ON THE BUS. JAMES. NEXT ONE IS ON BUSSING. SO YOU'RE STEP UP THERE. DOCKET 2025 2237 FROM PLANNING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, 515,140. AND IF YOU LOOK THROUGH CENTRAL BUSSING AND EXPENSES, LIKE I MENTIONED, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MENTION ON THIS DOCKET? NO, THIS IS JUST A PASS THROUGH OF OUR FEDERAL MONEY THAT GOES TO CENTRAL. 
          QUESTIONS ON THIS, SEEING NONE WILL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? SAY 
          [c. 2025-2175 – PLANNING RE:     APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO CAPITAL PROJECT H-PLN 081 – PLANNING – FTA 5311 TRANSIT PROJECT  ]
NO. THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY ON TO THE NEXT ONE. ANOTHER PROJECT ON TRANSIT, PROJECT 2175, BY PLANNING APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT OF CAPITAL PROJECT HPP081, THE TRANSIT PROJECT. WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ON THIS ONE, JAMES? NOTHING. THIS IS ALREADY APPROVED. THIS IS A CHANGE IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT. SO WE CAN RECEIVE THE FEDERAL MONEY PAID OUT TO THE TO THE THE CONSULTANT THAT'S GOING TO DO THE MOBILITY MANAGEMENT. IT'S JUST A BUDGETARY CHANGE. BUDGETARY LINE CHANGE, NOT MONEY. WE RECEIVED A GRANT. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? I DID HAVE NOTES ON THAT WITH CENTRAL AND LONG RANGE PLANNING AND RURAL SERVICES. THAT'S A COUNTY WIDE PROJECT, CORRECT? YEAH. SO THIS IS THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT SYSTEM. SO HOW WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THAT OUT OVER TIME. AND I DID RECOGNIZE OUT IN OUR AREA SOME RIDER USAGE TO TOURISM EVENTS OUT TO US. DO YOU KNOW IF THEY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN EMPLOYEES VERSUS JUST RECREATIONAL PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE GOING TO TURNING STONE. NOT NOT ON NOT ON THE BUSSES THEMSELVES? I MEAN, WE DO SOME SURVEYS AND SOME OTHER WORK, TRY TO FIND THAT STUFF OUT. BUT NO, IF YOU GET ON THE BUS, YOU GET ON THE BUS. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT OF THAT SPLIT FROM TOURISM, OF SAYING PEOPLE ARE USING THAT TRANSIT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES VERSUS ONES THAT MIGHT LIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S THEIR EMPLOYMENT. RIGHT? SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT IF THROUGH YOUR SURVEYS YOU CAN DISTINGUISH THAT. BUT YEAH, THEY DO LIKE WE'LL DO LIKE OVERTIME RIDERSHIP SURVEYS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT THE LINE HAS ONLY BEEN UP FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE THE THE ROUTE WAS CANCELED, RURAL TRANSIT WAS CANCELED FROM COVID ON AND THEN SYSTEM HAD TO BE REBUILT. SO ON AND SO FORTH. IT'S JUST BEEN OPENED A NEW FOR I THINK SIX MONTHS OR SO. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE WILL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. UNANIMOUS. LAST ONE JAMES 2025 
          [d. 2025-2170 – PLANNING RE:                 TRANSFER OF $62,874.00 TO A 8020 6432.495-000 – OTHER EXPENSE (PLANNING)  ]
2170. COMING THROUGH. PLANNING AS A TRANSFER OF FUNDS BACK INTO EDGE AT A RATE OF 62,008 74. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE ON THIS DOCKET, JAMES? DEFINITELY NOT. I DON'T BLAME YOU THERE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, WE'LL PROCEED TO VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED? SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. UNANIMOUS MOVE TO ADJOURN. MARY. SECONDED BY RICK. ALL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.