Gov. Andrew Cuomo”™s recently appointed Mid-Hudson Valley Regional Economic Development Council will begin its task of drafting a strategic plan that brings state funding awards and job-creating businesses to the seven-county region at an inaugural meeting Aug. 9 on the SUNY campus in New Paltz.
The mid-Hudson region is composed of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, Sullivan and Westchester counties.
Due Nov. 14 in Albany, the 21-member council”™s economic development plan will compete with those of nine other regional councils across the state appointed by the governor and headed by Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy. Four regions with the highest-rated plans in December will be awarded up to $40 million each ”“ including $25 million in capital grants and $15 million in tax credits to employers from the state”™s Excelsior Jobs program ”“ from the state”™s $200-million economic development pot. The remaining $40 million in incentives will be divided among the other six regions.
With their strategic plans the councils also will submit funding applications for priority projects they select in their respective regions. The governor”™s office said up to $1 billion in development aid, which includes the initial $200-million award, is available from various state agencies in the form of grants, loans, industrial development bonds and tax credits.
At their meeting in New Paltz, mid-Hudson council members will begin to identify key regional issues and opportunities and start to shape a regional economic vision. Work groups will be formed to focus on public engagement in the three-month planning process.
The governor in his council selections chose two co-chairs for each region drawn from the academic and business communities. The mid-Hudson council is co-chaired by Dennis Murray, president of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, and Leonard S. Schleifer, president and CEO of the state”™s largest biotechnology employer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., headquartered in Westchester County.
Schleifer”™s appointment suggests the region”™s growing biotech industry, spurred in part by NY BioHud Valley, a year-old public and private partnership to promote the development of an industry cluster in the region, will be a driving force and key element in the council”™s strategic plan. Schleifer could not be reached for comment.
Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester and a regional council member, citing an example of regional cooperation when choosing priority projects for funding, said a biotech company with headquarters and research operations in Westchester could locate its manufacturing plant in another county in the mid-Hudson region.
Jonathan Drapkin, president and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress in Newburgh and a regional council member, said the governor”™s newly launched program “is ambitious enough to rethink not just how economic development is going to be development, but how state government can truly be a supportive partner.”
“With the valley”™s long list of projects and limited resources to achieve them, we see Pattern”™s role as helping to build consensus on the few priorities that will serve the region best for the years to come,” Drapkin said.
Council member Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson Inc., said he is most excited about the prospects for waterfront development, green technology and the region”™s agricultural economy. “We have a $4.7 billion tourism industry and an agricultural industry worth $800 million a year,” he said.
Sullivan cited a recent study by the Trust for Public Land that found that executives looking to relocate or open a new business rated quality of life ”“ including an abundance of parks and open space ”“ higher than housing, cost of living and good schools.
“The synergy here in the Hudson Valley ”“ tremendous quality of life, academic institutes of national renown and the input IBM has given the region and helped in creating a highly skilled workforce, are going to be our key assets in competing for those economic development dollars,” Sullivan said.
In Poughkeepsie, Murray, the regional council co-chair, said he has created about 700 new private-sector jobs during his 32-year tenure as president of Marist College. “In addition to our entrepreneur and incubator programs, we”™ve helped spin off many students into some very innovative businesses.” In the valley region, “I also know the lay of the land.”
“The charge Gov. Cuomo has given us is basically ”˜jobs, jobs, jobs,”™” Murray said. “Cuomo is correct in saying this is an important issue, not just for New York but for the nation. It is the singular, most important, national issue. Look what”™s happening across the country ”“ economic expansion is the answer, creating new business and creating new opportunities.”
Murray said council members were assured “that our recommendations are going to carry weight.” The governor also “stressed the need for transparency and input from a variety of constituents in the counties we cover,” he said.
Regarding the task ahead, “I”™m an optimist,” Murray said. “I believe it takes the right strategy and right entrepreneurs to make it happen. We want to make sure we create the right environment so job creation can flourish.”
Mid-Hudson Regional Council
Regional Co-Chairs:
Dennis Murray, president of Marist College
Leonard S. Schleifer, president and CEO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
General Members:
Ӣ James Bernardo, president and CEO, Candela Systems Corp.
Ӣ Vincent Cozzolino, president and CEO, The Solar Energy Consortium
Ӣ Robin L. Douglas, president and CEO, African-American Chamber of Commerce of Westchester and Rockland Counties
Ӣ Jonathan Drapkin, president and CEO, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress
Ӣ Tom Endres, president and COO, Continental Organics
Ӣ Carol Fitzgerald, president and CEO, Life Medical Technologies Inc.
Ӣ Aleida Frederico, chair of the board, Commerce Bank
Ӣ Marsha Gordon, president and CEO, The Business Council of Westchester
Ӣ Maureen Halahan, president and CEO, Orange County Partnership
Ӣ Wiley C. Harrison, founder and president of Business of Your Business L.L.C.
Ӣ Ken Kleinpeter, director of farm and facilities, Glynwood Farm
Ӣ Payal Malhotra, vice president of marketing, Caf̩ Spice GCT Inc.
Ӣ Mary Rodrigues, owner, A.J. Rodrigues Group Inc.
Ӣ Cliff L. Wood, president, SUNY Rockland Community College
Ӣ Paul Ryan, president, Westchester-Putnam Central Labor Body
Ӣ Al Samuels, president and CEO, Rockland Business Association
Ӣ Ned Sullivan, president, Scenic Hudson Inc.
Ӣ James Taylor III, CEO, Taylor BioMass L.L.C.
Ӣ Teri Ward, president and CEO, Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce
Elected officials (non-voting members):
The county executives from Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester; Yonkers mayor; chairman of Sullivan County Legislature and the town supervisors of Monroe and Ramapo.
 Also written by Kathy Kahn.
