Recently, the North Country and the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Councils were awarded $164 million. Both councils earned Top Performer designations for their efforts to effectively invest in our region’s economy.

I am pleased to see investments in workforce development through programs like the Jefferson-Lewis Machine Operation Training project. The council also supported the Value Added Agriculture Program and the Tug Hill Vineyards, helping our agri-businesses to increase their production. I think it is encouraging to see high-tech centers be developed at Marcy or even SUNY IT, which will have a wide impact on the region as a whole. The councils’ visions and projects are large-scale and impressive, but I would like for the council to consider the great impact that could be made by investing in renewing our small communities’ infrastructure systems.

The North Country and Mohawk Valley are filled with small communities struggling to improve their infrastructure and redevelop abandoned and blighted properties. They are hit twice because of the lagging economy. Once by depleted municipal funds and then again when they cannot make the needed improvements to attract businesses to the area. It’s a vicious cycle that the Regional Economic Development Councils can help to break.

I know that conversations about bridges, roads, sewers, water lines and broadband internet aren’t nearly as interesting as nano-scale science and engineering, but they are conversations that need to take place. Every industry, from agriculture, to manufacturing, to tourism and main street small businesses, relies on a healthy infrastructure from which it can grow and expand.

I challenge our Regional Economic Development Councils to incorporate ways to help small communities repair and rebuild their infrastructure as part of a comprehensive economic development plan. If the councils partner with our small communities to update their infrastructure, it will have a widespread and positive impact throughout our region.