Board Meeting Notice:

Richard Bargabos, Chairman, has called an IDA Board meeting for Thursday, February 16th at 2 pm, at the Madison County Center for Economic Development in Canastota.

Madison County "Shades of Green" promotional video

Madison County is proud to announce the first Shades of Green in Madison County: A Green Living Experience event which is scheduled for Friday, February 24, 2012 from 8:00 am through 5:00 pm in the STUAC Conference Center at Morrisville State College in Morrisville, New York. This exciting FREE, full-day event is an initiative of the Madison County Community Economic Development Committee formed to implement the Health Improvement Plan for Madison County. It is the first event of its kind in the county. The purpose of the sustainability workshop is to help individuals, businesses, and communities advance green initiatives throughout Madison County to achieve more economically viable, sustainable and healthier places to live, go to school, work, shop, and enjoy!

The event will be free and is open to everyone, although attendance is limited to 200. There is space available for exhibitors. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. For more information on the event and to register please visit the website: http://www.greenmadisoncounty.com/.

The event will have something for everyone, from the home and business owner to the community leader, as it will feature over twenty-five speakers in four breakout sessions with three tracks. Peter Fleischer, Executive Director of Empire State Future, and Cornelius B. Murphy, the President of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) are the keynote speakers. The presenting sponsor of the event is Sysco, a global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers.

 

 

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2012

Solid Waste Dept releases promotional video

The Madison County Dept. of Solid Waste has just released a new promotional
video called Madison County Renewable Energy Projects.
"We wanted something that could be used as a promotional tool for the
Madison County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to encourage new
businesses to relocate to our proposed Agricultural Renewable Energy Park
(ARE) and to take advantage of the low cost green energy being produced at
the Buyea Rd. Landfill site," explained Director James A. Zecca. "We also
wanted a product that could be used as an educational tool by our County
Recycling Coordinator Sharon A. Driscoll."

Several features that make the ARE Park a level above other business parks
include, low cost green energy i.e. heat and electricity; low cost land for
development and the close proximity to the New York State Thruway.

"Development of the ARE Park will put land back on the County and town tax
rolls, and create new jobs for the residents of Madison County," said John
M. Becker, chairman of the Madison County Board of Supervisors.

The new video touts the promotion of green energy at the County’s landfill,
citing the gas-to-energy facility that takes advantage of the methane gas
produced naturally in the landfill and turning it into low cost electricity
and heat for proposed businesses and the new solar array that supplies
electricity to the ARC Recycling Center.

The green energy projects now located at the County landfill have sparked
the interest of a number of area colleges and neighboring government
agencies. Educational tours of the site are on the rise, according to
Driscoll.

The video, produced by Acumen Media, is now on YouTube and can be found if
you type in the search space, Madison County Renewable Energy Project.

The video can also be viewed on the Madison County Web site -
madisoncounty.ny.gov

Central New York lands $103.7 million in state economic development money

Published: Thursday, December 08, 2011, 7:41 PM Updated: Friday, December 09, 2011, 7:47 AMBy Charles McChesney / The Post-Standard

Albany, NY -- The region’s economic development officials got more than they hoped for from a trip to Albany Thursday, bringing home $103.7 million in state economic development funds.

Rob Simpson, president of CenterState CEO and co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, said he was "thrilled" with the announcement. Members of the council have been meeting since July hammering out a list of projects that they thought could best improve the region that includes Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Madison and Cortland counties.

The council’s plan included 30 projects and requests for $40 million in state funding. The state delivered $63.7 million more, including $14 million to renovate apartments in Lysander.

The extra millions came as a surprise. Council members had heard there was more money available from other state sources, but didn’t know the other projects were going to be included Thursday, said Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor, co-chair of the CNYREDC.

The announcement came at an Albany ceremony capping a process Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out earlier this year.

The state was divided into 10 regions with an economic development council for each. The councils reviewed projects and chose which to include in a plan. The separate regional plans were presented last month to a state committee that chose four as "best plan awardees."

The North Country, Western New York and Long Island were chosen, along with Central New York, as the best.

Cuomo had said each of the winners would get $40 million while the remaining six regions would split $40 million between them.

Financial news host Maria Bartiromo, emcee for Thursday’s event, introduced videos for each region, then announced that each had been awarded millions in grants, far more than the $200 million Cuomo had talked of. In all, awards of $785 million were announced.

The money came from the $200 million in targeted regional money and from an additional $800 million in money for which companies, housing authorities, non-profits and others had filed state consolidated funding applications.

Good as the news was for Central New York, it appeared that not every project chosen by the local council received state funding. Five projects - including those that would have renovated the Abbott House in Aurora and assisted in expansions at Dupli Envelope and Graphics, Ephesus Technologies, Champlain Valley Specialty Food and Healthway Home Products - did not make the final list.

Dennis Nett / The Post-StandardThe Central New York Regional Economic Development Council’s largest single money request is for more than $5 million to complete work at the CNY Biotechnology Research Center at the former Kennedy Square apartments.

"If the project is not on there, it means it isn’t funded," said Austin Shafran, spokesman for Empire State Development. Shafran said regional technical factors could keep a project from getting funding, even it was part of a winning plan.

One factor was how quickly the project would yield new jobs. "We’re ready to create jobs in the short term, for the long term," he said.

Among the projects that were backed by the regional council and did land funding were:

•3 million for work to the Syracuse’s Inner Harbor.

•$3 million to equip space at the Syracuse Center of Excellence.

•$1.95 million to continue work at the Central New York Biotechnology Research Center and the nearby land.

•$150,000 to build a demonstration greenhouse in Madison County.

•$994,000 to help expand a winery in Cazenovia.

•More than $4 million in support for a dairy cooperative’s plan to build a plant in Cayuga County.

•$349,000 for expansion at the Fulton Companies in Oswego Counties.

Projects that had not been announced before included $14 million - the largest single award in Central New York - to renovate 208 apartments at Greenway in Radisson.

Greenway Apartments rents to people who make less than 80 percent of the area’s median income. Many tenants make less than 60 percent, said Arthur Loomis, a consultant for Liberty Affordable Housing, a Rome-based non-profit taking control of the facility.

"It’s shovel ready," Loomis said. "The complex, while in good shape, is tired and needs updating. It’s going to be like a brand-new project." Improvements include new siding, windows and sidewalks, as well as renovated kitchens and bathrooms, Loomis said. Much of the infrastructure hasn’t been updated since the complex was built in the mid-1970s, he said. The residents’ income doesn’t make it possible to renovate extensively without public help, he said.

Renovations to Centerville Court Apartments in North Syracuse won $3,349,255 in state support while efforts to buy and renovate James Street Apartments in Syracuse got $9 million.

In Cayuga County, some $400,000 was announced for the Howland Stone Store Museum in the hamlet of Sherwood. That money is to restore "Opendore," once home to the Howland family.

In Madison County, the state added $75,000 to provide emergency repairs to the homes of low-income, elderly residents.

In Oswego County, Grassman Energy was awarded $716,500 toward its efforts to begin design and manufacturing of wind turbines of the sort that can be seen at Carousel Center and atop the State University College at Oswego.

Before the winners were announced, Cuomo explained that the regional approach was part of a two-part effort to create jobs in New York.

The first part, he said, was improving the state’s image by improving the reality for business. That meant removing obstacles to job creation.

The second was giving the state’s region more say over what sort of development should be encouraged. "There is no single New York economy," he said. "You know your strengths; you know your niche."

Cuomo was joined at the ceremony by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The three said separately that they were so pleased with how the process worked that they had already agreed to fund a similar effort next year.

"Three minutes - I’ve never had as short a conversation to get anything done," Cuomo said of the backstage discussion with Skelos and Silver.

Contact Charles McChesney at cmcchesney@syracuse.com. Contact Doug Dowty at ddowty@syracuse.com.State grants announced;

Central New York receiving $103.7 million

 

 

Thursday, December 8, 2011

By CAITLIN TRAYNOR
Dispatch Staff Writer
Twitter.com/DispatchCaitlin

ALBANY -- The Central New York region presented the most compelling strategic plans for economic growth and job creation and was awarded the most funding out of the 10 Regional Economic Development Councils in the state.

Several projects in Oneida County were selected, too.

Governor Andrew Cuomo organized an initiative in July, splitting the state into 10 regional councils tasked with composing competitive strategic plans to spur economic development and Thursday announced how the $785 million in state funds set aside for the endeavor would be divided.

The Central New York region, which includes Madison County, will receive $103.7 million to support 74 projects. It tops the list for funding.

The council’s plan focused on strengthening core industries and the region’s unique economic assets, including clean energy and environmental systems, health and financial services, agribusiness and food processing, advanced manufacturing and tourism.

More than $1.7 million will be dedicated to projects in Madison County. Owera Vineyards will receive the largest portion of that - $994,000 - to establish a new winery and community farm on 58 acres in Cazenovia. The money will purchase machinery and equipment, complete site improvements to support wine production, tasting, tours and other tourism and agribusiness events.

More than $250,000 will be used toward the establishment of a beef farmer’s cooperative facility and $200,000 will go toward creating a Microenterprise Grant Program that will assist at least six businesses. Johnson Brothers Lumber will get a $150,000 share to construct a greenhouse and aquaculture facility at the ARE Park as an add-on to its lumber-drying kilns.

Stoneleigh Housing will get $75,000 for emergency housing repairs for low income elderly homeowners and $47,700 will go toward leadership and general business skill training for 36 Marquardt Switches employees.

Additionally, under the Mohawk Valley regional council, Madison County will receive another $42,000 for entry level employment training for 45 adults in the manufacturing industry.

Madison County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Kipp Hicks was pleased with the level of funding the county was awarded, calling the money a catalyst to allow the projects to advance. Speaking to the regional council’s distinction of receiving the most funding, Hicks said it’s a testament of how well the region collaborated for the project.

With top industries outlined in the region’s strategic plan, Hicks said Madison County’s economic initiatives encompass all of them.

"The entire state found out what we know already," Senator David Valesky said. "That Central New York has the vision, talent and enormous potential to be a major economic force in New York State. This is a real game-changer for the region."

The Mohawk Valley regional council was awarded $60.2 million. Included in that are several projects in Oneida County including $703,500 to build and maintain a fiber optic network from Herkimer to Vernon.

Griffiss International Airport will receive $2.7 million for rehabilitation of a 28,000 square foot hangar building that will service commercial aircraft. Griffiss Local Development Corporation will take $350,000 to renovate another hanger into a manufacturing site for a defense contractor.

Griffiss Utility Services Corporation, in the Griffiss Business and Technology Park was awarded $1.5 million to allow the company to use biomass resources to generate steam and electricity for the park customers. The Griffiss Economic Development Corporation was given $397,500 for a cybersecurity accelerator.

Oneida County in general was awarded $750,000 for housing rehabilitation for seniors. The money will be used to renovate 26 the homes of low and moderate income residents in the county.

At the announcement of the regional awards, Cuomo said "regional collaboration and planning is a roadmap to get New Yorkers back to work.

"The plans submitted by all 10 regions were truly extraordinary. For the first time we are putting the power of the state government behind the innovation of our people, giving them the tools to rebuild our economy."

 

More local on tap: couple working to open Madison County’s first brewery in Hamilton

Published: Tuesday, September 06, 2011, 6:59 AM
By Alaina Potrikus / The Post-Standard

The idea came to Carrie Blackmore and Matt Whalen over a pint at the Colgate Inn."Person after person came in asking what was local on tap," Whalen said.There were some regional brews, including Cooperstown’s Ommegang and Saranac from Utica.But Whalen, an avid home brewer, thought there might be room for something even more local.

This month, the couple are moving their brainstorm into a storefront on Milford Street in the village of Hamilton, in hopes of having their first customers by Jan. 1.Good Nature Brewing will be the first brewery in Madison County - and will use hops from Foothill Hops in Munnsville, the county’s first commercial hops farm in 50 years.

The brewery will be just a few miles from the Bouckville field where the state’s first recorded hop crop was planted in 1808 by James Coolidge, a Massachusetts native who saw economic potential in the plant used to bitter beer and flavor other products. By 1880, Madison County was one of three counties in the state producing 80 percent of the country’s hops."Nobody knows that," Whalen said.

Large-scale production was killed by disease, competition and Prohibition in the early 1900s. But local advocates have come together in recent years to promote the area’s hop houses, farms and breweries much like the concentration of wineries in the Finger Lakes region.

Whalen plans to start with a two-barrel system, with an annual production of 200 barrels, and expand in the next three years to a 10 barrel system, bumping production to 2,000 barrels a year.

While Whalen focuses on the brewing, Blackmore has been handling the logistics of starting a business - permitting, licenses and location.

The couple met while teaching at North Country School in the Adirondacks. Blackmore grew up in the Bronx and studied history at Colgate University. Whalen grew up in Camillus and attended Paul Smith’s College.They fell in love after leaving the district and moved back to Central New York with hopes of starting a business together.

The brewery’s name - Good Nature Brewing - came to Whalen while weeding a bed of squash at Alambria Springs Farm in Lebanon."I thought that what we were trying to do would be a good natured thing," he said.They’ve geared their flagship recipes to incorporate the hops varietals grown by Kate and Larry Fisher at Foothill Hops."The beer will have a very Madison County terroir," Blackmore said, smiling as she used the French word used to describe the way specific places influence flavor.

The local ingredients don’t stop there. One of their neighbors on Milford Avenue is a screenprinter, who has already made T-shirts and will be printing their glassware. They’ve reached out to a cabinet maker in Norwich to design and produce their tap handles. A Colgate University graduate designed their logo."We are committed to it," Blackmore said of the local sourcing. "We want to grow the business by working in a symbiotic way."

Excitement for the venture has resulted in a variety of financial support.A micro-enterprise loan through Madison County provided the $35,000 in seed money to purchase their equipment. The low-interest loan will turn into a grant if the company hires a low- to moderate-income employee within a year.The couple also sold memberships, which were quickly embraced by members of the community."People who don’t even know us have been reaching out to collaborate," Blackmore said. "It’s exciting."

Upcoming events
What: 16th annual Madison County Hop Fest
When: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 17.
Where: Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main St., Oneida.
Details: Free workshops and exhibits, a food and beer pairing ($15 advance, $20 at the door) and a beer sampling featuring more than 30 styles ($25 advance, $30 at the door).
For more information: mchs1900.org/hopfest..

On tap
These are some of the brews that will be on tap when Good Nature Brewing opens to the public, possibly early next year. Brewer Matt Whalen is also working on a recipe to be called "The Nor’Easter," and a Nut Brown Ale.
American Pale Ale: Brewed with three malts and two kinds of hops, it is a well-balanced and full-bodied beer with a fruity nose, hints of pine and grapefruit and a malty, caramel finish.
India Pale Ale: The whole leaf Chinook and Cascade hops grown at Foothill Hops in Munnsville give this ale a very floral, citrus and local taste.
Chicory Mocha Porter: Chicory root is often used as a coffee substitute and is found growing wild all over Central New York. Lightly hopped for a nice balance, with locally grown Perle hops.
Find out more at goodnaturebrewing.com.

 

Council Will Drive Local Economic Development and Improve Business Climate Statewide Central New York Regional Council to be Led by Nancy Cantor & Rob Simpson

Albany, NY (July 26, 2011)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched his Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, which will redesign the relationship between the state government and businesses to stimulate regional economic development and create jobs statewide. The Governor was joined by Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, local officials, business leaders, and community members to launch the Regional Council at the Convention Center at OnCenter in Syracuse.

The Central New York Regional Council will be led by Nancy Cantor, the Chancellor of Syracuse University, and Rob M. Simpson, President of CenterState CEO, who will both serve as Regional Co-Chairs. The Regional Council will coordinate the economic development of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego counties. A complete list of members of the Central New York Regional Council is included below.

"For too long, Albany has imposed one-size-fits-all economic development plans across the state, ignoring the unique assets and challenges of each region," Governor Cuomo said. "Today, we are taking a new approach. With the Regional Councils, we will empower individual areas like Central New York to chart their own course for job creation and growth and we will send a clear message that New York is open for business."

The Regional Councils represent a fundamental shift in the state’s approach to economic development, from a top-down development model to a community-based approach that emphasizes regions’ unique assets, harnesses local expertise, and empowers each region to set plans and priorities.

Currently, New York State’s economic development efforts are managed through dozens of separate state and local agencies. The Regional Councils will now bring together stakeholders in every region of the state to serve as a coordinated point of contact for economic development. Each Regional Council will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy and will be led by two Regional Co-Chairs from the business and academic community. Additional membership is comprised of local leaders from business, academia, labor, agriculture, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.

Each Regional Council will develop a plan for the development of their region. The state will work with the Regional Councils to align state resources and policies, eliminate unnecessary barriers to growth and prosperity, and streamline the delivery of government services and programs to help the Regional Councils carry out their plans for development.

Governor Cuomo has already made historic changes to the state’s economic development grant application process to support the Regional Councils. Through a new Consolidated Funding Application that combines resources from dozens of existing programs, the Regional Councils can now apply for $1 billion in state funding for projects they determine to be part of their regional strategy.

Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy said, "Governor Cuomo’s groundbreaking economic development strategy will put our state back on the right path. Only by focusing on what our regions actually need can we take full advantage of our resources and keep businesses and jobs here in New York. The Regional Councils will enable every section of the state to prepare individualized economic plans and will make the regions the drivers of their own success."

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, "New York can no longer afford to have the worst business climate in the nation. The economic development strategies of Albany’s past have failed to solve the challenges we face today. Governor Cuomo’s Regional Councils create a more efficient business model that empowers individual regions to determine what is best for their own communities and incentivizes thoughtful economic policies through competition. I am excited to work with every region to maximize their potential and bring investment and jobs to New York State."

Nancy Cantor, Chancellor of Syracuse University and Co-Chair of the Central New York Regional Council, said, "Governor Cuomo’s regional approach is exactly what we need to jumpstart growth and create jobs. Our Regional Economic Development Council will take cross-sector collaboration to a whole new level by leveraging the expansive array of public-private partnerships we’ve been forging throughout the region and tapping Central New York’s strengths. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Rob Simpson and all the exceptional community and business leaders who are already collaborating in unprecedented ways to remake our regional economy."

Rob M. Simpson, President of CenterState CEO and Co-Chair of the Central New York Regional Council, said, "Governor Cuomo’s regional plan recognizes that New York’s economy is as diverse as its citizens and too complex for Albany to take on alone. The challenges and opportunities facing Central New York are unique and require more than one-size fits all investments by the state. By engaging our region’s business, academic and public sector partners, the Governor will get the best from Central New York and we will be a vibrant contributor to New York’s overall economic health. I applaud the Governor’s leadership on this and look forward to working together to forge a more business-friendly Empire State."

The ten Regional Councils cover the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York.

To learn more about the Regional Councils, please visit www.nyopenforbusiness.com

 

The Business Review

Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2011,

New York has been ranked No. 1 by the State Entrepreneurship Index, a state-by-state measurement of entrepreneurial activity.

New York has been ranked first in the nation for entrepreneurial activity, according to the State Entrepreneurship Index, a state-by-state measurement of entrepreneurial activity.

South Carolina was ranked last.

The index, developed by economists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research and Department of Economics, evaluated the following components: a state’s percentage growth and per capita growth in business establishments, its business formation rate, the number of patents per thousand residents, and gross receipts of sole proprietorships and partnerships per capita.

Each state was assigned a ranking based on the state’s performance compared to the nationwide average.

For 2010, the latest year for figures, New York topped the list, scoring 2.34, thanks to its strong performance in gross receipts per capita and substantial improvement in two other components: growth in establishments and establishments per capita. Washington, with a score of 2.17, Massachusetts, with a score of 2.04, and New Jersey and Oregon, both scoring 1.93, rounded out the top five.

New York ranked No. 1 in 2008 as well, the last time the list was compiled.

Oregon rose the most in the rankings, up 40 positions to No. 5. Nevada fell the most, down 40 positions to No. 47.

The State Entrepreneurial Index combines detailed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS Statistics of Income Bulletin, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Statistical Abstract.

 

America’s Best Affordable Places, 2011

By Venessa Wong and Jennifer Prince, Bloomberg Businessweek

May 27, 2011

No. 6: Onondaga County, New York
Population: 455,912
Median family income: $65,458
Households spending more than 30 percent income on housing: 26.4 percent
Unemployment: 8.2 percent
Adult population with bachelor’s degrees: 31.5 percent
Major cities: Syracuse, Salina, Clay

With a cost of living about 18 percent below the U.S. average, according to Sperling’s BestPlaces, Syracuse is an affordable city. While its population shrank slightly in the past 10 years, according to 2010 U.S. Census data, other areas in the county have grown, including Pompey, Cicero, and Lysander. Upstate University Health System and Syracuse University are among the area’s major employers, according to the county website.

Bloomberg Businessweek’s America’s Best Affordable Places 2011

 

Madison County moving forward with Agriculture and Renewable Energy Business Park

_{March 24, 2011}

_{By CAITLIN TRAYNOR
Dispatch Staff Writer}

WAMPSVILLE -- Madison County’s Planning and Solid Waste committees gathered Thursday morning to divvy up the next wave of responsibilities in the development of the Agriculture and Renewable Energy Business Park.

The ARE Park has been has been in development since 2009. The Madison County IDA and Solid Waste Department have largely spearheaded the project, with the help of environmental lawyer Bill Buchan and engineering firm Barton & Loguidice.

The park is slated for construction at the Madison County landfill site. The landfill sits on 600 acres projections outlined in the landfill’s 100-year plan estimate that it will use 100 acres in that time period. The ARE Park would use another 150 acres, land that will be placed back on the tax rolls as it’s purchased by businesses.

The county allocated more than $700,000 for the planning and engineering stages of the project. IDA Executive Director Kipp Hicks said by the end of 2010, about half of that money had been used for things like formulating the feasibility of installing infrastructure services like water and sewer.

Buchan updated the committees on the progress that has been made on the project and what still needs to be done. He said the county has worked with the town of Lincoln’s zoning board to transfer use of the county’s landfill land to the business park. An overall land description has been done along with land surveys.

Several options for water service to the business park have been lined up. The Onondaga County Water Authority, which currently operates water lines in the county as close to the landfill as Canastota, remains a possibility. Hicks said it the OCWA has the capacity to serve water to the park but that expansion wouldn’t happen within the next three years.

Tapping local ground water may also be a viable option. Water testing has shown that there is the necessary quality and quantity of water available.

Residents in the town of Lincoln may be given the option to tie into water mains servicing the ARE Park, but Buchan explained that property in agricultural district would be required to "opt out" of the district. The same would be true for sewer.

The city of Oneida may be the most viable option for sewer services when considering distance and cost, Buchan said. Depending on the type of business that could potentially move into the ARE Park, waste water containing contaminants stronger than domestic waste may need to be treated on site before being sent to Oneida.

The second option would be to make an agreement with the village of Canastota. All sewer options would involve the creation of a sewer district that may allow for single users along the system to connect.

In other aspects of the project, the State Environmental Quality Review is underway. A positive declaration - meaning the project will have a significant impact on the surrounding environment - was made. A Generic Environmental Impact Statement is now being drafted. The public comment period to gather input on the scope of that statement ends Friday. The public will be given a second comment period once the statement is complete. Buchan estimated that that process would take about a year.

Nearly a decade before plans for the business park surfaced, the county began planning what to do with methane gas being emitted from the landfill to limit environmental concerns. A methane gas-to-electricity system has been in place for about two years. Hicks explained that the county has right-of-first-refusal on the electricity produced from the landfill while the rest is put into the grid. In conjunction with that project, Johnson Brothers Lumber, a local company based in Cazenovia, will establish a location on two acres at the landfill and use the excess heat produced from the methane-to-electricity system to heat lumber-drying kilns.

A contract with the company is expected to be signed by May, Hicks said. He was confident that the arraignment would provide an anchor for potential recruitment of businesses to the ARE Park. Johnson Brothers Lumber will not be part of the ARE Park. While some companies have expressed interesting in opening locations at the ARE Park, Hicks explained that it would be difficult to actively recruit tenants before water and sewer services are established.

A completion date for the ARE Park is not set yet. At the joint meeting, the two committees, the Planning Department and IDA divvied up tasks to move the project forward. The Solid Waste Committee, along with the Solid Waste Department will continue work on the sewer line and the county’s agreement with Johnson Brothers. The Planning Department was delegated to work on the remaining four issues: SEQR, water service development, land transfer and business recruitment. The IDA will also assist in the last two.

^{Ranking finds health in Madison County far superior to neighboring CNY counties}

_{March 30, 2011
By The Associated Press The Post-Standard}

Startling differences in the health of residents living just a few miles apart are highlighted in a new health rankings report that assesses wellness in nearly all the nation’s 3,000-plus counties.

A typical example is in Central New York, where Madison County was ranked the 16th healthiest county in New York. Next door, Onondaga County was ranked the 40th healthiest of the state’s 62 counties. Oswego County came in 41st, Cayuga County 38th, and Oneida County 53rd, according to the rankings, which were released Wednesday by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Putnam County is considered the healthiest in New York, and Bronx is the least healthy, according to the rankings.

"Affluent suburbs tend to have higher paying jobs, often in the cities, whereas rural communities often are dealing with loss of businesses" and declining populations of young people, who tend to be healthier, said Dr. Patrick Remington, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute.

Residents of rural communities also tend to have less education, less access to health care, and higher rates of substance abuse and smoking - all factors that contribute to the rankings.

Still, counties encompassing big cities aren’t immune. Wyandotte County, Kansas learned that when the researchers released their widely publicized first county health rankings report last year.

The county includes Kansas City and boasts two major medical centers, which officials figured would mean a top ranking. But Joe Reardon, mayor and CEO of Kansas City and county government, said the county’s listing - 96th out of 98 in Kansas - was a wake-up call. It prompted several meetings with county authorities, local institutions and citizens, resulting in plans for more urban grocery stores and public works projects that aim to make sidewalks and roadways safer and more usable for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The rankings compare counties within each state. They’re based on data from vital statistics and government health surveys. In many cases, several years of data are used to calculate rankings, Remington said. For that reason, many rankings this year are similar to those from the 2010 report.

Premature deaths - people dying before age 75 of preventable diseases; self-reported health status; and the percent of low birth-weight babies contribute to the rankings. Other measures include obesity rates, unemployment, high school graduation rates and pollution.

Richard Sewell, a health policy specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, praised the report for including a wide array of important measures that affect health.

"It’s a call to action" that leaders beyond the medical realm pay attention to, Sewell said.

James Marks, director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s health group, said last year’s report resulted in an impressive amount of action in many counties that fared poorly. With annual rankings planned in the future, he said the reports likely will spur real improvement in Americans’ health.

Already, prompted by last year’s report:

• Jason Cook, an outreach pastor at Center Point United Baptist Church in Lincoln County, W.Va., started a wellness program to encourage parishioners to become more active, eat more healthy foods and lose weight. Overall, 18 people signed up and have lost nearly 250 pounds since January, Cook said.

• The chamber of commerce in Jackson, Tenn., in Madison County, is using health scores to help attract businesses to relocate in the area. Companies are asking about the region’s health, said Kyle Spurgeon, chamber president. The county fared better than the statewide average on some measures including the number of college graduates and primary-care doctors, in both reports. It slipped in other areas on this year’s report.

• LaSalle County, Ill. authorities are continuing with recent programs to distribute nicotine patches to smokers and increase awareness to school officials about diabetes and obesity, said county health department spokeswoman Jenny Barrie. The report emphasized the need to do so, she said.

• Authorities in central Michigan, where the lowest-ranked counties are located, created a "We Can" initiative to improve health measures including obesity, inactivity and poor nutrition. Monthly brainstorming sessions have been held involving officials from local health departments, mental health agencies, colleges and elsewhere, and a working plan is expected to be developed in April, said Mary Kushion, health officer for the Central Michigan District Health Department.

"We really do have a common theme and a common mission" Kushion said. "We know that we are much better prepared and able to address the issues than we were" last year.