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A Message From The Chief Executive Officer
2016 has been a significant year of investment in infrastructure for
the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency…2017
promises more of the same.
The word ‘infrastructure’ means a variety of things to each of us.
Bridges, roads, water and sewer lines quickly come to mind when
the term is discussed. For those of us engaged in the economic
development business, infrastructure typically takes on an even
broader meaning.
In our case, infrastructure provides vehicles that enable us to further
develop our County….that satisfy a need or create a development
opportunity. The under-lying criteria used by our Board of Directors
when considering investment in infrastructure is ‘will the investment
create or foster a mechanism by which we are then able to create
or retain jobs.
This year, the Agency has been involved in a number of infrastructure
activities, using our broader definition…some in the traditional
context but many not typically thought of.
After many months of activity, the Agency joined with two other
Counties, St. Lawrence and Lewis in support of significant upgrades
to our rail infrastructure on behalf of the Mohawk Adirondack and
Northern rail line. Activities that are bringing back to life, a significant
transportation link that will create a development corridor throughout
those Counties and protecting an asset vital to two major employers
in our County.
We have noticed a resurgence of the importance of freight rail as it
continues to be sought by heavy industry and we believe this rail line
will become an increasingly important attraction device as we look
to develop this region.
In addition, the Agency has taken the lead over the last three years in
the development of distributive energy projects called micro grids.
These initiatives will allow the County to generate and distribute
energy in smaller, customer-driven enclaves which will provide
employers with a self sustaining, clean energy innovation ecosystem
not totally dependent on a higher cost, aging and perhaps vulnerable
grid system.
The focus initially will be deployment of a micro grid for our current
Jefferson County Corporate Park. This proof-of-concept project
will then be replicated throughout the County to offer unequalled
development opportunities for companies looking to expand or
relocate to our community.
Your IDA is a leader in the State in development of these micro grids
and by way of vindication of the concept, they have now become an
integral part of the Governor and Legislature supported Reforming
the Energy Vision (REV) initiative to change the way in which
energy is generated and distributed throughout our State.
One may not consider a meat process plant as infrastructure,
however it is. With Agriculture such a key economic engine in the
North County, providing a value-added structure enables our Ag
community to establish a higher level of profitability while producing
increasing net income to our community and added jobs to the
County. The Agency continues to deploy resources in pursuit of this
major endeavor.
Perhaps most visible, is the investment the Agency is making on behalf
of the community in developing its new Watertown International
Business Park adjacent to the Watertown International Airport.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been invested in
land acquisition, environmental compliance issues, engineering and
planning and host of other activities which will ultimately lead to
another important development asset for our County.
It is hoped that, working with our surrounding communities and
Jefferson County, we will be able to begin our first private-sector
company project in the Spring-Summer of 2017.
Often missed is the amount of resources that must be devoted to
infrastructure which provide for the very fundamentals for continued
growth and development in our County.
As long as investments continue to be made in infrastructure---
however, you define it---our Jefferson County future remains bright.
Donald C. Alexander, Chief Executive Officer
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