The St. Lawrence County Legislature and its Industrial Development Agency continue to shoot themselves in the foot over what the future of economic development will be here in the Big County.
The County Economic Development Office wants to be independent, the Legislature wants to retain control and issued a request for proposals, and individual communities, big and small, hold onto their turf in desperate hope that "something big" will come to town to rescue their shrinking tax bases.
Maybe it's time to head back to the proverbial Square One. Maybe we should just pitch the whole lot of alphabet agencies we have and start over. Maybe it's time to pull our heads out of the sand, quit waiting for something or someone to come calling with a cure for our woes - woes that are afflicting all parts of the Once-Empire State and many parts of our Northeast region.
Maybe it's time to head out on the road, talk to companies, other communities and other states and try to create our own cure.
Quite honestly, we don't need something big. We need a whole bunch of something smalls.
If desperate times call for desperate measures how about we take a few chances.
First, we need to reduce the number of balding and grey-haired men sitting at the Econ. Dev. tables.
Let's get some younger men and WOMEN to sit down and map our future.
Let's do away with the IDAs, and the BDCs and the host of other "economic development" (I challenge someone to tell me exactly what the hell that term means) offices from Stockholm to Star Lake, from Piercefield to Pitcairn, and all points in between.
What if we had one super agency which covered the whole county without regard for turf and jurisdictions? What if we got away from our obsession with manufacturing and the 1960s mindset of "industrial" development.
Face it folks, the days of making widgets, or automobiles, or whatever are almost over in the northern U.S.
But there are a host of new opportunities out there if we just quit banging our heads against our crumbling concrete walls, take a step back, inventory our assets (of which there are many), and plot a new course - and then tell the world about us and what we have to offer!
It won't be quick, it won't be easy and success won't come without some significant failures. But at least we'll be in control our own destiny.
We've been doing the same things over and over for decades and yet we still expect different results.
In short, we have to ask ourselves the same question TV's Dr. Phil asks the gambling addict who has frittered away the mortgage money at the casino week after week: "How's that workin' for ya???"
Again just the typical BS being offered with no solutions just criticism from you the great Town of Massena supervisor. Let get lose the BDC the real board that at this time is heading the needed infrastructure in the highway department. So Joe you had how many years as a legislative aide to make real inroads on Economic Development and what kind of record do you have to date. I do agree on some of your points about the county IDA, The current chairman and his association with the EDC and his renting of office space back to the EDC for a sizable profit while sitting on the board of directors for the county IDA, whose executive director runs both office surely isn’t a conflict of interest?
ReplyDeleteTowns like Massena need to do our own Economic Development and stop sharing unused revenues with agencies like the IDA, each community can for their own Local Development Corp and offer the same bonding and tax abetments as the current IDA. If they need more powers have the state legislature pass new laws giving towns more powers over their own economic development. Just cutting Taxes doesn’t save or create jobs – true investments in small start ups do.
I'll gladly post your comment but you're way off base.
ReplyDeletePlease, show me the small start-ups you're talking about.
In the past 30 years, what has ANY economic development office, local or county-wide, actually produced in terms of jobs and new business?
The IDA just spent thousands of dollars on a big newspaper advertising insert promoting itself but they can't show any real jobs produced.
What have we gotten from our local investment in the Massena IDA EDC, or BDC over the past three decades for that matter? Show me the jobs and/or new businesses created. All of the BDC effort on the highway (which won't come to Massena, by the way), will not likely produce one job for at least a decade or two, if the thing gets funded and built.
My bet is that you are somehow linked to an agency like the BDC and have probably even benefitted from some low-interest loan programs.
Furthermore, as a legislative aide I could only suggest things to the politicians for whom I worked. I had no decision making or policy setting capacity. People who truly understand government know that's how things work. Party hacks claim otherwise. Which are you?
Maybe I'm the only one asking this question - If the Executive Director of the BDC in Massena is also chairing the four-lane highway task force, which hat is he wearing during the day when his salary is being paid by the BDC via the town and village contributions? I thought the town and village had designated the BDC as the entity responsible for economic development for Massena, i.e. attracting business and creating jobs. In recent years the BDC has lost its way. It's time for the governments of Massena - village and town - to pull the plug.
ReplyDeleteI am willing to bet we have hundreds of people in this area with great ideas and dreams for small businesses. They just need a little help with financing and guidance through the jungle of permits and paperwork. Instead they get contempt and the feeling they are wasting the time of the economic development people too busy looking for that big smokestack industry that never comes.
ReplyDeletehow many jobs has Massena lost since Jason Clark became the next great hope for Massena? He spends more time doing Dem. Comm. dirty work then bringing any jobs to the area.
ReplyDeleteAs a small business owner that has provided 2-3 jobs over the last several years, I find help from local agencies virtually non-existent. In my last contact I had requested information on a low interest loan so I could move to a larger facility in Massena. Sure enough the local and county guys showed up, asked questions, and said they would get back to me in a couple of weeks. I never heard from them again.
ReplyDeleteWhat small business needs is the same attention that is paid to the larger companies. I am moving my business to Massena , will grow, and provide jobs on my own. A different approach to economic development is certainly needed. If you have 50 small business’s providing 10 jobs each and one closes there is a small impact. If you have one business providing 500 jobs and it closes there is a large impact. Why would you spend all your resources to attract business that will but you in this position? Take a look at your personal 401K or your investments. Do you have all your money tied up in one stock? If you are like most people your portfolio is diversified. If one stock tanks you are probably still in good shape. Take moment to think about that concept. Small business is the future of our country.
Dear Anon. 12:17, if you still need help to expand and grow your business please contact me immediately at the town supervisor's office.
ReplyDeleteI will be out of town on Monday, but you can leave me a message at supervisor@town.massena.ny.us or call my secretary at 315-769-3588.
I want to help you and anyone else do as much business in Massena as possible, but I can't if I don't know who your are or where to reach you.
Thanks for the comment.
Joe Gray
Zoning is the problem for the Town of Massena. The "natural and obvious" place to have buisnesses grow is along the Trippany road.
ReplyDeleteCanadians coming in and Casino patrons will shop at the first stores they see. They won't go off the highway looking to spend their money. Also, the Mall needs to promote itself better. They're losing stores left and right. Take a look at Plattsburgh and Watertown, they're booming!