With the economy in the mess it’s in, Schoharie County’s best hope of moving forward on its year-old Economic Summit goals may be to band together with other counties—especially when it comes to things like infrastructure and farming.
That’s one of the realizations about a dozen people who had a hand in drafting the Four Partners’ 2008 Community and Economic Summit plan had Thursday, when they sat down to see how far they’d come a year later.
The Summit looked at strengths, weaknesses, and goals in four areas: Tourism, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Micro-Enterprise.
Members of the four work groups have met a couple of times since April ’08; speaking for agriculture, Linda Cross said they’ve realized “baby steps” may the best way to go.
Ms. Cross listed efforts to start a cooperative cannery, a $10,000 grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute to explore opening a meat processing plant in the region, and a renamed Cooperative Extension Dairy Day—the Ag Energy Expo—as some of the small steps that are being taken.
Larger steps in agricultural may require working together with other counties and legislators, especially when it comes to the falling price of milk.
United States Senator Arlen Specter has introduced a bill that would price milk based on the cost of production, something that prompted a passionate discussion on what can be done to help local farmers.
Larry Phillips, Seward supervisor, said talks in his town have included the need to better educate consumers and create more opportunities for niche and alternative agriculture.
Anne Myers, Chamber president, said something as complicated as influencing the price of milk may require working together with other Upstate counties, who see things quite differently than those around New York City.
There was also talk of “Earl’s List” a sort-of wish list of projects for any stimulus money that comes this way.
Jody Zakrevsky, the county’s Economic Development coordinator, said they’re hearing from some of the agencies that will be awarding the money to wait while the guidelines are developed and streamlined.
But, he said he’s also heard of money that’s being handed out.
When asked which of the projects on Earl’s List are closest to being shovel-ready, he said a project that would run a water line from Canajoharie to Sharon Springs—something the USDA is looking favorably on—probably tops the list.
Additional National Grid feeder lines and a new building at the county’s Industrial Development Park are two others.
Angela Kogler has been working on efforts to bring broadband to the county.
The technology continues to develop and change, she said, and right now, the company they’re most interested in dealing with is waiting for as much as $32 million in funding to get it off the ground.
“We have a vendor and they’re interested in bringing it to the entire county,” Ms. Kogler said. “We didn’t want someone to cherry-pick. That’s been done already.
“But they’re kind of in a holding pattern till they see where the money is.
Jody Rutt, Chamber executive director, said progress made under the heading of manufacturing includes the BIG mentoring program, and getting most of the towns’ zoning information up on the county website.
Tourism, she said, is continuing to inventory all attractions for an upcoming travel guide, and was able to get funding from the county to bridge the gap till the bed tax kicks in.
With summer the busiest time of year for many of those involved in the Summit work groups, they decided not to meet again till the fall, when they’ll decide whether there should be a 2010 Summit—and what form it should take.
“There are a lot of good things happening here,” said Dr. Myers. “We just need to get them all together.”