[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[3:09] We're ready to get started to call the economic development meetings to order.
[3:17] Terry Blasser-Bernardo, here. Louis Avarez. Brian McPhillips, here. Joe Parillo. Joe Parillo. In the building.
[3:35] Very good. Let's start with the pledge of allegiance.
[3:41] to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.
[3:47] One nation, one nation.
[3:49] Good to be visible.
[3:50] Good morning,
[3:58] everyone.
[3:59] Before we get started, I would just like to talk to the committee, like we were having a real committee meeting.
[4:09] the set up of this chamber makes that sometimes awkward, but it is what it is.
[4:15] So I'd like to have a discussion and just start with a simple question.
[4:19] So if we were designing, for a low end, 948, if we were designing the Selving County Visitors
[4:25] Center from scratch today, knowing where visitors actually enter the county and what attractions
[4:31] drive our tourism, would we choose this location,
[4:36] this signage in these operating hours and in a TikTok style, I'll go first. My answer is generally
[4:44] no, not because staff aren't doing a good job, not because Liberty is not an important community,
[4:51] but because I don't believe our visitor services are aligned with the travel pattern.
[4:57] The majority of our tourism traffic enters Sullivan County through the route 17,
[5:01] and that's where visitors begin making decisions like where we're eating.
[5:08] What should we do today? Where's the nearest trails or a farmer's market?
[5:11] What's happening this weekend? That's where our highest value visitors
[5:16] should be concentrated, the visitor services.
[5:21] Economic development succeeds when you reduce friction.
[5:25] Visitors shouldn't have to drive past and many times will likely never drive past.
[5:31] the casino, the water park, Bethelwoods, other major attractions and restaurants,
[5:36] before they encounter the place to design them to tell them what is to do.
[5:41] There is to do. Now the building is fine, it's professional. It looks like a
[5:45] government office, but it doesn't look like the front door to Sullivan County.
[5:50] Nothing about it says welcome to Sullivan County or even merely Sullivan County.
[5:55] Or stop here, discover waterfalls, Bethelwoods, the Upper Delaware Eagles, breweries,
[5:59] swiveishing hiking. It should make people excited before they even walk through the door.
[6:06] So the building itself says visitor center, but it's not visible from Route 17.
[6:12] And if I'm driving at 65 miles an hour on Route 17, I need to know that before I reach the exit.
[6:19] Now we all know how this works. You're on the road. Someone sees a sign. Somebody says, wait,
[6:24] What did that say?
[6:25] Somebody turns on the radio and somebody else says,
[6:28] I need to use a restroom by then you've already passed the exit.
[6:32] So if we're serious about intercepting visitors,
[6:36] they need advanced notice, they need multiple signs,
[6:39] enough distance for families to actually make the decision to stop.
[6:44] The old Burma-shaped signs, the style is a good example,
[6:48] not because we need to copy them literally,
[6:51] but because they understood something important
[6:53] that people need to process information while they're driving.
[6:58] Last, when are the visitors here?
[7:01] And this came to me because I was here and I took that picture
[7:05] on July 4th weekend, and I met with a number of law enforcement who said,
[7:11] oh, by the way, we're going to have 10,000 people at Buffalo Woods tonight,
[7:14] and I was like, wow, yet the visitor center is closed.
[7:19] And in my opinion, there's just a mismatch between our operations
[7:23] and our customers, of our busiest days or Saturdays and Sundays, that's when we should be
[7:28] amping our service days. So those are my thoughts. I'd like to hear from everybody else,
[7:34] not whether you necessarily agree with me, but if we were starting from a blank sheet of paper today,
[7:40] what would you build? Anybody have any thoughts?
[7:46] Legislator Rajesh, yes.
[7:50] That's a very good question and I agree needs to have more visibility so that people coming
[7:57] up from other counties don't have to search for it.
[8:02] They will see it off the highway because you know what it's like in a car, right?
[8:06] You go past the exit and even when you're getting petitions and signatures, you go, wow,
[8:10] you drove past it, right?
[8:11] You need notice.
[8:13] You need to notice it off the highway.
[8:16] Yeah.
[8:16] Yeah, and there needs to be a couple of signs like in one mile, you know, in 500 feet.
[8:20] And it needs to be open, accessible, or at least some brochures out there.
[8:25] Something.
[8:26] Yeah.
[8:27] It's almost like if it was in Rock Hill and you can see it from the highway, that would have
[8:30] been a good location.
[8:32] That would have happened to that idea.
[8:34] I don't know, but it may be possible, you never know.
[8:36] So I understand the history and I would never suggest building from the ground up.
[8:42] I do know that there may be a business that's moving out there
[8:46] and that stretch of land along there in Rock Hill is prime example of
[8:53] you know the many places along the way where you could have signage that says
[8:57] like in two miles you know restrooms and visitor center you know by an
[9:01] I love Sullivan County T-shirt but there I believe is a location
[9:06] that the current business owner is building a property elsewhere
[9:11] where, and that may be available.
[9:14] Maybe a particular site.
[9:16] I think what's why I bring that up,
[9:18] and I bring that up sarcastically,
[9:20] is that there was a proposed site in Rock Hill many years
[9:24] ago, and politics got in the way and killed it.
[9:27] And so it was also the cost.
[9:29] It was the cost.
[9:30] No, it was the politics, because the cost.
[9:32] No, because it was going to be bonded,
[9:33] and the Visitors Association was going to pay that bond
[9:36] not the taxpayers of Sullivan County, right?
[9:38] It was going to be paid for with bet tax money.
[9:40] So it was politics and people put out, you know, muddied the information so that the public turned against the project so politics interfered with that plan and, you know,
[9:53] I don't want to conceive of it an idea for them because they have their own board.
[9:57] They have their own violas. They have their own process.
[10:01] Our job is to have oversight of the vendor that we choose.
[10:05] And to collect the money and make sure that the money is, you know, being spent according
[10:10] to the contract and according to the bylaws.
[10:13] So, you know, I think we're making something political that shouldn't be political.
[10:18] I respectfully disagree.
[10:19] And there's a policy making board and if it is our policy that we would like to have a particular
[10:26] location and a particular strategy and we pass that by resolution, we have the authority
[10:31] to do that.
[10:32] We're the ones who hold the the money. We have a contract with a vendor. So you're saying that when we were
[10:39] Renegotiate the contract that we're going to put that as part of the contract that we have the right to tell them where they should put their
[10:45] Location. I'm not going to entertain your questions like that because I don't feel that they're genuine. No, I think that we're having a
[10:51] Conversation because you're saying we can pass a policy and what I'm saying is we have a signed contract with a vendor if we pass a policy that is outside of that
[10:59] contract
[11:00] are we I mean maybe council can weigh in on this are we a
[11:05] anybody else have any comments the near the past leaders of the
[11:08] policy are we allowed to pass a policy that is outside of
[11:13] my policy what I'm hearing is a potential ability to place
[11:20] the visitor center in a better location for visibility yes
[11:25] when I heard our tourist we can pass a policy
[11:28] right we can pass a policy yeah that that particular and you were right and
[11:35] what you said Terry there and you were right that particular policy started
[11:38] when I was the chairman of the county we did have those plans and we also wanted
[11:44] to make sure that the the visitor center was open on a Saturday and Sunday
[11:47] doesn't make any sense to be closed on the days when everybody's out in
[11:51] traveling and we talked about making signs on the highway with the billboards
[11:56] Yeah, yeah, it was an issue I brought up with and that was never done. So you are correct. The day
[12:05] that people are traveling is a Saturday Sunday or Friday. And if you put a sign, we actually had
[12:10] a sign on exit one, 13, 114 saying where the visitor center was, which was actually in Ferdell,
[12:20] in a little place, not as visible as it is right now. But yeah, it needs to be
[12:25] we need to discuss it. We need to discuss, it needs to be open.
[12:29] Well, I think if we're having the conversation like you had said, like what would you change? I think it's
[12:36] it's not a brick and mortar spot. I don't think you have, I mean the place is too large to say I'm going to go
[12:43] find out about Solomon County by visiting Rock Hill or Liberty or Mammicating.
[12:47] and we have a vendor that is suggesting to do mobile units which I think is innovative. I think it's a good idea.
[12:57] It can put us in a situation where they are actually going to where there's an event or we can place or have that be placed where it's more recognition.
[13:08] I think some of the and I mean the good thing I like is the ability to have the feedback of the brochure that just went out the here brochure.
[13:17] You know, there's some things where I I like that it was recognized and I spoke with Michael about how I think we're failing to showcase the people who have been here and we've had discussion about like the manner ice rink.
[13:31] You know, so I think having the open communications of these are the things we want highlighted. These are the things
[13:38] You know, and I had made the suggestion that we have a hear magazine. Why don't we have a their magazine?
[13:44] So this way we understand that this isn't just for people we're trying to bring in. It's also trying to showcase the people we already have
[13:52] Mr
[13:53] Also, you know, we have discussed I mean talk to some legislators. You know, you know, I you know
[13:58] So when I go on vacation I like to be busy because make my day go by and I think when
[14:03] visitors come here just don't have enough to do and I think this board should look into
[14:09] creating a director of events or some kind of event coordinator which we would take and
[14:17] fund through the room in bed money and that person would solely work for the county to
[14:26] to bring events to the county
[14:27] or year long to keep the heads on the beds
[14:30] and I think it'd be revolving door and tax money
[14:32] and also help out the economy here.
[14:34] Just like Lake George does
[14:35] and all these other Saratoga
[14:37] and all these other, they have planners
[14:38] that bring events here.
[14:40] Whether it's a Brian brought up the air show.
[14:43] The air show, balloon shows, the chef week.
[14:47] A jazz festival.
[14:48] Yeah, a jazz festival.
[14:49] So I think we should look into that.
[14:52] I think we should hire somebody to do that
[14:53] and see how it works out.
[14:54] to be, you know, whether it's a part-time job or a full-time job, which would be funded
[14:58] by their room tax money.
[15:00] Local council tax pays anything, which would generate dollars in Sullivan County. So I think we should really consider that and do some further. I just just finished the, the, the one thing I wanted to say is that I think having the discussion brings these items to light. And I think one of the most important things are is, you know, having our name on it. I just think it needs to, you know, we are Sullivan County. We represent Sullivan County. We represent our
[15:29] individual districts, but in general, I think the people of Sullivan County are proud to say,
[15:36] you know, I am Sullivan County, and to have things out there that don't, oh yeah, like I see
[15:42] an issue. I think it was great at the airport of Sullivan County. I see the balloon, balloon festival.
[15:46] At Sullivan County. So it's like, you have to draw attention to yourself. So the only thing,
[15:51] I mean, as a constructive criticism, I would say, is having name recognition more attached
[15:58] to drawing people to an area that I mean in your style of asking for this type of
[16:04] conversation. Yes Matt. Yeah no the only thing I would say is right is the idea
[16:08] trying to draw a visitor to the physical visitors association or to the
[16:12] businesses where they're gonna spend money I know you know a lot of things are
[16:16] done online now right like if I go on vacation I'm gonna search up okay here's
[16:20] what I have in this area before I get there I get the different things well and
[16:24] And again, right, we have those, but I think, you know, what would Michael have brought to us in the past, too, with the Mobile Visitors Center, Zalaka, with Bryant said, I think that actually does speak to the idea that you're bringing out here, right, because, you know, the idea isn't necessarily in my the way I see it in the way that I travel, and, you know, everybody does that differently, but just the way that I look at it, right, if I go somewhere else, I'm not looking for their brick and mortar facility where I can go in. I'm going to look it up. I'm going to find the stuff that's in the area that I want to do. I'm going to plan my stuff out.
[16:54] And then if I see them there while I'm doing that I'll go over I'll take a picture
[16:58] I'll look at some of the other things that are going on.
[17:00] I think that addresses it more than a physical brick and mortar.
[17:04] Years ago my family was a campground business lazy G campground for 30 years as I wound up
[17:09] up here.
[17:09] But I remember you know what is the Jesus we're the big bikers come up in a town of fold
[17:14] but we're going to get rid of them.
[17:16] But anyways, days of these kiosks and I do today I mean listen you go to the islands they
[17:22] got these kiosks as soon you're walking by the concierge and you pick all these things
[17:26] up.
[17:26] He's okay.
[17:26] What I want to plan.
[17:27] Now, you know, you go with your children to a place in AC clowns, they see this, the
[17:33] kids pull them up.
[17:34] I mean, I want to go here.
[17:36] Meanwhile, you know, like Matt says, you know, kids don't have an internet at six years old,
[17:40] you know?
[17:41] So I think we should go into this kiosk system again.
[17:44] I suggested years ago, Roberta didn't want to do it, but I think the kiosk thing you put
[17:48] I put them in a diner.
[17:49] Liberty diners have what's famous for that.
[17:51] They don't hold display and people used to come, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
[17:54] I think we should go on that direction.
[17:56] But listen, we go, let's move the meeting on.
[17:58] I agree.
[17:59] Go ahead.
[18:00] Legislator Albert.
[18:01] I just want to, I just want to work on facts things that I, that I noticed.
[18:05] We have the meeting at the New York State County Association.
[18:09] We were talking about where the next counties of New York State County Association meetings
[18:14] are going to be.
[18:15] And every time they mentioned Sullivan County and we want to make the meetings and we talk about the meetings we talked about Sullivan County and what they emphasized as the Woodstock place.
[18:27] Bethel Woods.
[18:28] Bethel Woods.
[18:29] They always say we want to go back there we want to go there because of Bethel Woods.
[18:32] that would, what I found more strange is this last week
[18:36] in preparation for my national meeting,
[18:38] which is gonna be next week.
[18:40] Every time I'm talking to another state,
[18:43] the first thing they mention,
[18:44] so I'm counting is for Bethel Woods.
[18:47] They don't say New York,
[18:49] I mean, they don't say so I'm counting New York,
[18:50] Bethel Woods, and they say if you're from Bethel Woods,
[18:53] and that's what people see.
[18:56] So we'll recognize people wanna come here.
[18:59] And I don't think we're selling that part a lot more
[19:01] than what we should. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's a beautiful golf course this year. I mean we have
[19:05] some of your nice golf courses up here. I think the vision that I see though is that we're lucky
[19:10] that we have a primary corridor where people enter from the city being Route 17 is that it could be
[19:18] a bathroom stop. It could be selling. I love New York t-shirts. It's capturing them as they're
[19:24] coming in because the current location does not. It's okay administratively, but to capture the
[19:30] people who are actually coming in and going to go to Bethel Woods, going to go to the casino,
[19:35] going to go to the water park, they're not going to go beyond to Liberty.
[19:42] And I think that when you think about other places, like if anybody's ever going down Route
[19:47] 95 on your way to Maryland, you've got the rest stop, right?
[19:51] The Maryland house.
[19:52] How many people stop at the Maryland house?
[19:54] And it tells you all about Maryland, and that's from a statewide.
[19:57] but if you take that to a more county level,
[20:02] we're lucky that we could have locations
[20:05] that would capture a big portion of the people
[20:08] who are coming up from the city,
[20:10] whether they go to belt the woods,
[20:12] whether they go to the casino,
[20:13] the cart right wherever they're going,
[20:15] but to capture them and say,
[20:17] hey, here, almost like a rest stop on an interstate.
[20:21] You know, here's a bathroom,
[20:22] here's some souvenirs you can buy,
[20:24] and here's all the stuff we have
[20:28] because we are, you know, people are suffering in this county. Now there's two things you can do to make a county profitable.
[20:35] One is bring people from the outside in and they spend their money here or make things here and sell them to people in other places.
[20:43] And if we, and we're suffering, our sales tax is down, our jobs are down.
[20:50] I think Commissioner Quigley could probably tell us better what the hospitality jobs were
[20:55] down a couple hundred year over year, Josh could probably let us know.
[21:01] But as a legislature, we need to do something and to just continue to come in and get reports
[21:09] efforts in our economic development committee and not talk about what is going on and actually
[21:17] do something to try to move the county forward, I think is not what any of us got elected
[21:23] to do.
[21:25] Well, me and Brian, me and Brian's would have these conversations, and we also agree that
[21:32] we need to start moving the county in a forward direction and we need to make changes.
[21:39] We need to take challenges and risk and you know like tacit earlier
[21:44] You know, we had we wanted to build a business association. I stopped the area conference room
[21:49] You know, we wanted to do that and like she said politics got it away. They they got crazed. Oh, it's causing so much money away
[21:55] You waste the money. Well, you know, that's progress
[21:58] It was a nice addition to Rock Hill that we had we had some kind of
[22:03] Drawing what it would look like and it fell apart. So well the elephant in the room is that
[22:09] The Visitors Association is here and I do like Michael a lot. I'm a data officer by trade and so I do love data.
[22:16] I can't stand data.
[22:18] I just want to say something about the prior visitors is building the potential building.
[22:26] The property I don't think was the best right where it was looked at.
[22:32] The building was large and it was a lot of money and at the time.
[22:36] That's what it was.
[22:36] There was a lot of pushback on the amount of money
[22:39] to expand, but here, we may have a potential
[22:42] of an existing building, which is entirely different.
[22:46] Chairman?
[22:47] Yes.
[22:48] I really feel if you're going to put a physical location,
[22:51] it should really be in Orange County, like Fair Elks,
[22:54] because you want to hit there before you come into Sullivan County.
[22:57] And I'm going to build something that we own in Orange County.
[22:59] I'm just saying, it should be before you enter the county.
[23:04] Oh, yes.
[23:04] Now you're talking about bypassing,
[23:06] mammicating, and going to Rock Hill.
[23:08] Well, the signs can start in mammicating
[23:09] and a little bit about signage and graphic design.
[23:12] So listen, we're all elected officials.
[23:14] We've all had logos and we've all had lawn signs.
[23:17] A lot of times, the logo is never a good lawn sign.
[23:22] But the lawn sign is usually always a good logo.
[23:26] And sometimes people do it in reverse.
[23:28] And I do like the concept and I understand it
[23:31] and I do think it's high quality work that they put in,
[23:36] but a lot of times the logo doesn't always make the best sign.
[23:42] And I think that the words Sullivan County,
[23:45] because like, what is the visitor center for them all?
[23:47] I don't know, the visitor center for liberty.
[23:49] I don't know.
[23:50] And what will tell us we have there?
[23:52] We've got the nights in and the days in.
[23:54] So who's finding this place?
[23:56] Well, I really feel that if we, you know, work with our partners to get the name branding,
[24:04] I think is important.
[24:05] I think the conversation of whether we should have a brick and mortar spot or the mobile
[24:11] units or I just think generationally as we go through our different age groups, there's
[24:17] going to be a change from a brick and mortar to the necessity with internet and technology
[24:25] And the mobile units so we're not stuck in one location. I like them both. I like the concept of bathrooms
[24:31] I think people at all ages. I think bathrooms are always I pick up the brochures
[24:36] You know, and it's like half of whom you'll let the kids pick up so you can get them to go to sleep that night
[24:41] And maybe do something different tomorrow, but at least they have them. It's like we're gonna mess Trumpite gonna
[24:46] When I go to post it all the time they have these these stops, which has a gas station
[24:50] and they have a bendering store there, they got here and then they got their business
[24:54] social issues coming right. And so you're coming to the state and they get all these
[24:57] brochures and people are boom, boom, boom, boom, all what I can do and, you know, was like
[25:00] Maryland house.
[25:02] And, um, well, cause like for me, I do the card, the card shows, right? And, and, and those
[25:08] type of things. I just Google card shops near me and it provides me all the information
[25:15] I'm going to need. So to me using the internet, and that's where I think if you were
[25:20] traveling somewhere to an event say the bagel festival and you had the
[25:24] visitors association booth that were mobile unit right there so you had a
[25:29] pass it like maybe you can grab that or on the Bethel Woods concert night you
[25:35] work out some agreement with Bethel Woods that you can have the site there so
[25:39] people coming through pass that when they're sitting in traffic you know
[25:43] like a mobile you well the mobile unit that's what I'm saying instead of you
[25:47] know I may not want to stop at Rock Hill because I went to the bathroom in
[25:50] middle town. Please put a kiosk outside. Elite but then you have something. Nobody is getting off
[25:54] in middle town. It's a pain in the neck to get it. Who's gonna get off at 2.11? I have to get off
[25:59] stops there and I don't want to. I go. I have it on the Faroaks gas station. I've hit pretty
[26:05] well. Maybe a ghost in the quick check that's easy to go to on and off. But on the other end so
[26:11] I'm definitely for brick and mortar bathrooms. I love Sullivan County t-shirts and kiosk with
[26:16] but in a physical location,
[26:18] but I also, I've been getting served up on TikTok lately.
[26:21] A lot of, there's like realtors out there
[26:23] like pushing Jeffersonville
[26:24] or just random things about Sullivan County
[26:27] and I think whether that's organic or not,
[26:30] I'd love it, I like the organic
[26:31] but we could also make them, you know,
[26:34] when somebody's on TikTok and you live in the city
[26:36] and you're like, oh, look at this TikTok
[26:38] about Sullivan County.
[26:41] The one thing that I think somebody asked me
[26:44] the dinner tonight, what don't people know about Sullivan County is about the lakes. I moved here
[26:49] because I wanted to live on a lake. And I've had people come over to my house, a lot of you
[26:54] have been to my house, and even people from Mammacate and come over my house and they're like, I had no
[27:00] idea that there were lakes like this and that you could live on a lake. Now I lived in Ulster County,
[27:04] but there's really no places to buy a house on a lake. I didn't want to live on a lake in Orange
[27:09] I don't want to pay the property taxes there.
[27:11] I came here because it was lower property taxes and more lakes.
[27:15] And I think that if people knew the amount of the people in the city,
[27:20] I am telling you, I lived in New York City for over 20 years.
[27:24] People in the city have no idea how many lakes are up here.
[27:28] And each has their own personalities, especially the homeowners association.
[27:32] And even as a realtor, I will tell you that most people I capture
[27:36] or people that you're talking bathroom breaks,
[27:39] they will drive one bathroom break.
[27:42] If you start to show a house,
[27:44] it's two bathroom breaks from their location,
[27:46] the odds of them purchasing are very slim.
[27:48] It's like it's a really weird thing,
[27:50] but they don't want to stop.
[27:51] They want to go to the destination,
[27:53] and so like having something midway,
[27:56] you know, whatever that is for majority of the city,
[27:59] like maybe that could be, yeah,
[28:01] I mean, it's a good conversation, I think.
[28:02] Yeah, and I think that for certainly we do have a partner who I know wants to speak and
[28:09] he will speak soon, but I think as a body that our committee, we do have oversight of
[28:14] economic development and I think that for us to be an agreement that we want to do something,
[28:22] that we want to have the conversation whether it's brick and mortar, whether it's kiosk,
[28:27] with bathrooms. Yes, please. Like the Maryland House. Or more TikToks. Whatever it is, I think
[28:34] that it behooves this committee to discuss it with our vendor and let our wishes be known,
[28:46] whether that be through resolution or just by us having a chat in a committee meeting. And,
[28:52] you know, committee meetings are awkward because we're in this like chambers, you know, most
[28:57] legislative bodies, the committees tend to me in a committee room around a table and this is
[29:04] you know it tends to sometimes I think not promote discussion that should be happening.
[29:12] Can we never discuss anything committee? We run committee meetings like it's like it's executive
[29:16] board like it's full board and that's not how committee meetings supposed to be. Years ago we used to
[29:22] have them in the committee meeting that's where our committee meeting. Maybe we should all sit around
[29:26] the table here on the committee. I think it would promote better discussion but we need
[29:31] to further explore this topic. It cannot stop just here. I agree. We need to further
[29:38] explore. So that being said, very fond of you Mike. None of that was critical of you
[29:44] just my observations and I also did in the 20 years I lived in New York City and Atlantic
[29:50] city, as you know, I worked in the hotel business. The Sands, Sheridan, Royalton,
[29:55] and lows, open hotels, all over the country, so.
[30:00] And hey, maybe we should all take some trips and look at different, you know, how do you enter a state? How do you enter a county? You know, who, who does it really good? Who should we mimic?
[30:14] Anybody else have any other comments that they would like to make before we all good points, Terry. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Good morning. Good morning. I guess we're going to go.
[30:29] So yeah, it was okay, we'll start with you, my cup of tea.
[30:34] Like I hope I don't have to, I'm actually feeling a lot like David.
[30:43] When David came up, I'm very thankful.
[30:46] And this is for me the most meaningful position that I've had my whole career.
[30:53] And it's about the diversity of the community.
[30:58] and how different every town and village and Hamlet is, it really means something.
[31:08] And it's really stringing those together that I think.
[31:12] So I hope to work with you.
[31:15] I would love to have a committee that we can actually have conversations with about the Visitors Center.
[31:22] Before we get to the numbers, I do want to just thank you.
[31:28] And I am grateful for last month this legislator legislature reinvested 1.5 million by overnight
[31:37] visitors in this county's future, including the visit mobile visitor centers.
[31:44] We don't take that for granted, we're genuinely excited about this partnership.
[31:50] I read the vote as more than a funding decision.
[31:54] I read it as a sign of trust and confidence in the direction that we've set.
[31:59] And in a working agreement, that we're working to reestablish.
[32:03] Trust is the foundation of everything and trust runs both ways.
[32:08] That's why we're building things that let you see what the numbers are doing
[32:13] and how the how profit looks, and I'm hoping to connect more closely with Kathleen's office,
[32:21] so that we can attach the future and the past and start to be able to articulate how we're moving
[32:29] forward. Some of you weren't part of that initial, Terry, you weren't there. I would love to sit down
[32:37] with you and show you, walk you through our approach and our plan to increase the number
[32:43] that matters most, which is raising occupancy and in turn lodging tax and then sales tax
[32:50] across all 15 towns. One thing I want to level set though are efforts
[32:55] are not a marketing, a marketing machine. You don't put a dollar in on Monday and pull
[33:02] out of booking on Friday. Awareness, which is what we're talking about, compounds. It multiplies,
[33:09] repeated exposure before a traveler, time and time again, no single execution of what you're
[33:18] doing gets the credit. What you can see is the trend line. Awareness investment, if it sustained,
[33:26] build demand. When we go dark, demand erodes, and regarding regaining lost awareness costs
[33:36] more than maintaining it. So we compete with tens of thousands of destinations. Our performance
[33:43] will always be public. Occupancy revenue visitors, the ups and the down. But our playbook,
[33:50] the targeting, the timing, the media and the social strategy, that's what I want to be
[33:57] able to talk to a committee about so that they can then explain to the rest of the legislature
[34:03] where we're going and those conversations are competitive strategy and I don't want
[34:11] the tens of thousands of other destinations to steal our visitors.
[34:17] So transparency on results, discipline on strategy, that's the standard, and it's another
[34:24] reason why I invite everyone to come and listen to the conversations about how we're
[34:32] approaching being a digital data-driven entity for this organization.
[34:39] And I loved the conversation that you were having.
[34:42] Those are the conversations that I would love to be able to have with you.
[34:47] What a mobile visitor center and what a bricks-and-mortar visitor center might do.
[34:53] And what kiosk might do.
[34:55] These are all things, David earlier, I would say, you know, Bo C's and SUNY, I see us actually
[35:03] getting involved with them, but we got to get our ducks in a row before we start reaching
[35:08] out and saying, Hey, have you ever thought about partnering with this or with that?
[35:13] So I'll shut up now. I'm sorry, Annie. I went longer. I said I was going to be short
[35:19] and Annie laughed at me. And your designers got Sullivan up there. I mean, I could work into
[35:26] a sign. I mean, I'd like County added, but you know, that is one thing that I want to point
[35:31] out because you mentioned Sullivan County. And for me, it is, it is Sullivan County. But
[35:37] one thing that Roberta did that you can never take away and I think it was genius was to attach
[35:44] Sullivan to cat skills. Yeah, that's not my issue. My issue is just visitor center like that,
[35:51] you know, it needs Sullivan County cat skills, Sullivan cat skills, but it's like just visitor center.
[35:56] Like, for what? For the for the mall. I don't know. I didn't know what it was. How would I know?
[36:02] Okay, you got the font. You got it all. All right, let's go to the
[36:11] presentation. Next. So first thing we're going to do, I'm going to show you the ink that we got
[36:18] or what we called ink. So next, this is critical mention, critical mention measures, radio,
[36:28] television, not social, but we're going to add that component, print pretty much all of the channels
[36:36] that are out there and what we do is we track when we're mentioned in that media. So the full
[36:43] report is in the packet. I just gave you this. This is the, this is May and June. So May and June,
[36:53] There were 1,800 unique stories, 5.42 billion impressions, and the publicity value was about 50 million.
[37:03] Next.
[37:05] So now let's get into the website.
[37:09] And again, the next, the full report is in the deck, but we're trending beautifully, thankfully.
[37:18] totally, total impressions are up 61 percent, total uterus are up 69 percent, and organic
[37:26] is up 94 percent. This was for two months. If you look at just June, so we're ramping
[37:32] up. So June, I kind of feel like June is the beginning of summer.
[37:38] If you look at just June,
[37:40] our organic traffic is up 700 plus percent. And that people looking for us. Next let's get into
[37:51] the lodging KPIs. Next. And what I did was I'm breaking them down by quarters. So and what I did
[38:02] was I took three KPIs occupancy guest nights and then revenue. So in Q1 we're
[38:12] down slightly 0.3% on occupancy down 2.2%. Guest nights were down 7.6%
[38:23] Curlo backend and revenue is down 1.5 percent. But let's cruise into Q2.
[38:33] Q2, you've got occupancy that is up slightly 1.4 percent from 21 percent to 20.7 percent.
[38:44] I mean from 21 this year, 20.7 last year, guess nights were up or no, guess nights are flat,
[38:53] but they're up just barely and then revenue was up so the reason revenue is
[39:00] up there you know is because our ADR keeps creeping up right so that's why
[39:06] your revenue is up on flat growth but what I want to do is I wanted to look at
[39:11] just June because that was the beginning of summer and so when you look at just
[39:16] June, you see that occupancy is up 7.8%, guess nights are up 7.2%, and revenue is up 16.2%.
[39:28] So the other thing that I want to mention about this is this is Airbnb.
[39:34] So I get rid of Verbo because there's a little duplication there, and I don't want that duplication
[39:44] because it's going to get me false highs.
[39:47] So I get rid of it.
[39:48] It does not include hotels.
[39:51] We're building a system now that we hope hotels
[39:55] will contribute data to that will allow us to see
[40:01] the alchemy of hotels and short-term rentals.
[40:06] So this is just Airbnb, so you could look at that number
[40:10] and you can increase it.
[40:12] and I don't know what that percentage is yet,
[40:15] but you know that we don't have hotels
[40:17] and we don't have Verbo.
[40:19] So you do what you want with that.
[40:21] Michael, yes.
[40:23] For me to stand up, why would you get rid of Verbo?
[40:27] I'm not getting rid of it.
[40:29] I'm just getting rid of it from the numbers
[40:31] because there's duplication between Airbnb and Verbo.
[40:34] A lot of people advertise on both.
[40:36] Oh.
[40:37] And with this great data,
[40:40] what happens in audio is when it scrapes it, if it's available, it's not occupied and if it isn't available, it is occupied.
[40:52] Well, that's a false positive because something could be going on there and owner could be staying, it could be closed because it's being renovated or it could be sold on burbo.
[41:04] right? So I just I like to be conservative about when I look when I'm looking at you. So these
[41:11] numbers that we're looking at are really lower in a way they're not there they're they're conservative
[41:19] but they're also looking at the future. You don't really know so what's going to happen is they're
[41:25] going to shrink those percentages are going to shrink because as the day comes then you either have
[41:33] to make last year or not make last year and you get
[41:37] cancellations. So you know I appreciate all these graphs
[41:40] and stuff but you know every month to me it's like it looks
[41:44] like a repeat to me maybe we should do it is like every
[41:47] six months so we really see a difference. I'm totally cool
[41:49] with that however you want to. I mean you're putting a lot of
[41:51] time and effort in this I mean we should you know it's cool
[41:53] but it's. This is what I obsess about though. I just need a
[41:57] number of every six months. And this is what I know if you're
[41:59] doing a job or not. Chairman. You know what might be
[42:02] helpful because um everyone learns and observes information differently so like meeting every it's
[42:09] unfortunate that you have to meet everyone up here um in terms of where they are learning
[42:14] stylized so maybe if you have like what this means like what does this mean like all these numbers
[42:22] all these arrows like in some i'm saying we're screwed we're great we're improved we're not
[42:30] It's great.
[42:31] No, but I, and like I said, everyone's got different learning styles and absorbing and
[42:36] just from a teacher like the teacher in me wants to support you in being able to connect
[42:42] this information to everyone in a really meaningful and intentional way.
[42:46] So I think if you are able to do that and say like, okay, in short, this is, this is what
[42:52] we.
[42:53] In the future, let's call it the next 12 months, maybe six months.
[42:59] all of our different. Wait, no, but what do you think about what I said? I think it's just got lost.
[43:05] I think about what you said is right on. Okay, good. So what I'm looking to do is actually give this body and
[43:13] everyone that wants it a monthly report on one single sheet that gives you what you need to know and it actually
[43:23] And we can call you if we have questions.
[43:25] One opportunity that I think that you're kind of missing that does give a really good picture is is the jobs, hospitality jobs.
[43:35] And I think that if you work with Commissioner Quigley, I don't know if you can even step up and comment on hospitality jobs,
[43:41] like where are we with hospitality jobs? Are we down here every year, we up or do you know Michael?
[43:47] And here comes one.
[43:48] I agree with you.
[43:51] Sorry.
[43:51] I actually have a report today that compares labored 2022 to 2026 and
[43:59] Legion Hospitality is the only sector that is down and in that four years it is down a thousand jobs
[44:05] Yeah, how many jobs a thousand so we're down a thousand hospitality jobs year by year
[44:11] So that is that's very concerning
[44:13] May of 22
[44:15] May of 26 got it that time-praying
[44:21] That's a lot of jobs that's a lot of jobs a lot of families and I think you know the other part of that puzzle would be the partnership for economic development which I believe we have a contract to develop our workforce so part of the report also should be you know what steps are being taken to develop the workforce so that and why are these jobs going away I mean these numbers are great but but if we're down a thousand hospitality jobs you can't
[44:49] It convinced me that somehow things are good here in hospitality.
[45:00] This is kind of astronomical. So they're getting away with less. You don't get room service every night. People, I mean, they've done away with a lot of. It is true. I did check into a hotel this weekend on my phone with my digital key. And I checked out. So I get that. But that's part. That's just part of it. I mean, I was talking with Anthony from Resorts. And what his payroll is just lower.
[45:29] or because we get more done with less people, so.
[45:34] But I do think it should be part of your report,
[45:37] part of your consideration,
[45:38] if we're looking at this from an economic development
[45:40] standpoint of tourism, to not include jobs,
[45:43] I think, is a key metric that you're missing.
[45:46] I completely agree.
[45:49] I think it's also an indicator
[45:50] that we need to diversify our economic development
[45:52] and not rely so heavily on tourism because of this,
[45:55] because technology is going to replace people and then we have people who need jobs and that
[46:02] impacts our local economy and how people can afford to live here because as it's great that we
[46:07] have these TikToks encouraging people to come and buy here that also increases housing prices and
[46:13] decreases the local person's ability to live in their own home and then who's going to work these
[46:18] jobs who's going to be able to work here if you can't afford to live here right so it's this cycle
[46:23] that we have to really identify, but yes, can under them.
[46:28] So the really good news is that July through September
[46:34] looks up double digits, up 28%, the guest
[46:39] nights up 13.2% and occupancy up 19.3%.
[46:45] So in November, I will be able to look at this and say,
[46:50] this is what happened in between when
[46:53] and I reported to you today and then how we finished.
[46:56] And where in our packet is like what
[46:58] Legislator Purolo keeps asking for?
[47:00] Like, where's the calendar for the county?
[47:02] Like, what is going, what are the things?
[47:04] Like in New York City, it's Toy Show.
[47:06] Toy Show sells out.
[47:07] We're walking people back to the airport in the hotels.
[47:10] Coming to Manhattan, sorry, we're sold out.
[47:11] You're going back to the airport to get a hotel room.
[47:13] So what are the events that we're having in Sullivan County
[47:16] that are driving and selling us out?
[47:19] because this weekend we had apparently 10,000 people and we're sold out at the casino and water park because of the fireworks.
[47:26] So what is going on from now until the end of the year in Sullivan County?
[47:30] There are events pretty much every day in Sullivan County.
[47:35] Big ones, big ones that sell us out.
[47:38] Big one to tell us out is Bethel is the most important element of that.
[47:44] That's why when you look at 4th of July, you look at 4th of July and you compare it to
[47:52] Billy Strings, they're almost neck and neck.
[47:56] Like we'll see how Billy Strings finishes but earlier they were neck and neck.
[48:03] Now I think that 4th of July is going to beat it because I saw numbers yesterday that I mean
[48:07] And there's all sorts of, when I look at April, April high holidays, right?
[48:15] April 25 over 26 people came here for the high holidays and stayed the whole week.
[48:22] What's the best day for a holiday for us?
[48:26] Wednesdays.
[48:28] Wednesday is killer because you're going to book them all through the next week.
[48:33] So if you can get a holiday on a Tuesday or a Wednesday,
[48:37] that's when you're like right on.
[48:39] We just grabbed another couple of room nights.
[48:43] So there's there's no specific.
[48:46] We couldn't even like pick one event,
[48:48] like per month that are one performer that's coming
[48:52] like between now and the end of the year.
[48:54] What is there a calendar somewhere where we can see this?
[48:57] There's, yeah.
[48:58] We have calendars and we're working with, you know,
[49:01] The chamber has a calendar and you have access to our calendars through the chamber.
[49:08] So what's the big event that events are not what's driving people here.
[49:14] Awareness is what's driving people here.
[49:17] That's what creates what's the award.
[49:19] I have another question.
[49:22] Does the visitors association have an app?
[49:25] We did, but apps are dead. That's why websites and that's why dream is up.
[49:32] So we did have an app and the app didn't go app. Yes, do it.
[49:37] It just when I was looking what it was doing for us, it was hurting us.
[49:41] How long have the years did we have an app for?
[49:43] I don't know. A year. But the app.
[49:49] What was the purpose of the app? Like I'm just curious to get some information about the app.
[49:56] Maybe not right now, but like yeah, I'm with you on the app, but we need we need ambassadors. I was just asking I wasn't talking about it
[50:05] But I was just asking about like the app like I remember there are other like topics that are
[50:12] Perhaps of more interest to discuss, but as I was thinking about like, you know, information and like
[50:22] other ways that information is potentially accessible. I was just curious if we ever ventured out into the app world and you said that the app world is dead. So, well I know why.
[50:33] It's dead for macro. When we, I believe, when we get, when we build a database of, let's call it a million.
[50:47] Then, that's when an app, like, Marriott Bonboi, think of your apps, think of the apps you use.
[50:55] It's your remember of something.
[50:58] So, when we get enough scale to be able to have an app, then we will.
[51:08] So, I'm just curious when we had it, what do we use it for?
[51:12] Like what there had to have been a plan
[51:15] I don't well, we don't we don't know the calendar are creating so I'm thinking
[51:27] Some of this stuff is in the works, but by abandoning
[51:33] Some other things may not be beneficial to what we're trying so if you had
[51:39] an app that was attached to the calendar, you could go to the app and say, oh, what's
[51:44] going on this weekend, which was the whole intention of pushing the chain.
[51:48] I wouldn't have to call Russell Reed today, so what's going on?
[51:50] And then click on, click on the calendar and the event by the ticket, and there's a, right,
[51:56] right, right.
[51:57] That's a closed loop.
[51:58] You're right.
[51:58] Yeah.
[51:59] So do you hear what I said?
[52:00] Brian could click on the app calendar, the event, and by the ticket right there.
[52:05] But again, I think the bigger point of what chairwoman is trying to
[52:10] point is what is there other than another employee year or entity
[52:15] where the county's dead in the water unless they do something.
[52:19] Here's my concern.
[52:20] So like Google Sullivan County Visitors Association calendar.
[52:23] And so what I'm getting is the graphics that are coming up.
[52:26] We got Wing Night at the courtyard.
[52:28] We've got Zumba Dance Fitness with somebody.
[52:33] We've got Matt Pilates. We've got Wing Knight at the courtyard. We've got trivia night, trivia
[52:42] Thursdays. We've got Zumba again. I mean, this is concerning to me that, like, these are the
[52:50] events that we're promoting. This seems more like a chamber of commerce function than it does
[52:56] is a county visitor's association.
[52:59] These are things for local people to do.
[53:02] This is not, hey, people from New York City.
[53:04] What just proves that we need any rent courted here?
[53:07] How about for Michael's, ring night at the court guard?
[53:10] Michael's there any more screens of your presentation?
[53:17] You can just, no.
[53:19] There's like two or three.
[53:21] It just shows you.
[53:21] OK, OK, well, we'll finish them, go through them.
[53:24] I want to go ahead.
[53:25] That just shows you 26 against 25
[53:29] and how I look at it, and then that shows you what's in your packet,
[53:36] and that's it.
[53:37] Thank you for your presentation. I think we need to have further discussion.
[53:41] Yeah, I mean, I need to see the bigger events. I mean, when night at the courtyard is not at the courtyard,
[53:47] but that is not what we're spending $1.5 million per mode on a website.
[53:53] We need, like, legislative parole says, like, big event.
[53:56] And I know you're saying that vents don't drive people here, but they certainly seem to a New York City
[54:02] And I can tell you I want to pitch a convention to have bring a thousand guys
[54:06] If you bring this is a course card convention here. You'll sell it out for the week. Right. So I mean that we need to coordinate it
[54:12] Remote out county. I mean Cooper's town. You know look at the you know the baseball does to them. I mean
[54:17] So this does warrant further discussion
[54:20] There's a very we need to think bigger than wing night at the courtyard. I mean that needs to be bigger
[54:24] I think the first thing is, and we have a tendency that we slightly talk conversations
[54:31] because we don't want to be deemed micro managers and we want to give people the ability
[54:36] to do.
[54:36] The only, I think, indirective directive of today is take the sign that's in front of
[54:42] the visitor center, take the amp or stamp, Sullivan County Cascals, whatever that first
[54:46] page was, and have somebody on the phone today calling a designer to at least fix that as
[54:53] of today.
[54:53] So instead of like, you know, all we talked about it, let's get some direction, let's just change the sign for today
[54:59] I know we're not staying there. You're going to mobile units. Yeah, but let's like get that on the horn happy to do it
[55:05] The only county casters on it. But I think I'll agree on that. Let's address it immediately. We okay with them spending money on that
[55:12] I mean, you've got the font. Yeah, we have what you're wanting to do it. Okay. Got one money today contract. Thank you. Thank you
[55:20] a great day. Thank you very much. That's what Matthew wanted.
[55:25] So Matthew's fault. Right. That's
[55:27] usual. All right. So let's see. So I guess we'll go to a division of community resources.
[55:36] Commissioner Quigley. Do you want it? That was a very productive discussion. I like it.
[55:43] Good
[55:46] morning. Good morning. I want to start off with a little
[55:51] Greg, the 2026 National Navigator Exchange Conference recognized for New York State Disability
[55:59] Resource Coordinators this year for their leadership in building partnerships that improve
[56:03] access to employment, training, and supportive services for people with disabilities.
[56:08] They're nominated by their peers and chosen by the National Review Committee.
[56:13] And this year, the Center for Workforce Development Scott Curry was one of those who received the
[56:17] National Recognition.
[56:18] The disability resource coordinators are funded through the New York State System Change
[56:24] and Inclusive Opportunity Network that is run in 27 different local areas and 48 counties.
[56:32] The role is to strengthen coordination among workforce development, vocational rehab,
[56:37] educational, behavioral health, justice, healthcare, employers, and community organizations.
[56:42] Scott was awarded the Alex Kiltee Making a Difference Award that recognized measurable system
[56:48] change. And what they wrote from the National Organization is over the past four years,
[56:55] Scott has expanded the use of integrated resource teams, bringing together workforce
[56:59] professional, voc rehab counselors, behavioral health providers, housing agencies, treatment
[57:05] courts, educators, employers, and community organizations to develop a coordinated employment
[57:09] plan for individuals with complex barriers. Instead of referring participants from agency
[57:15] to agency, integrated resource teams, brings the partners together around a shared employment
[57:19] goal. Scott led or supported more than 30 integrated resource teams and helped establish
[57:25] more than 200 active partnerships across workforce, business, behavioral health, justice and community
[57:31] organizations. Working with Selma County Chamber of Commerce, he also engaged more than 450 employers
[57:38] in disability, inclusive and recovery ready workplace initiatives. That is the annual bulk of that
[57:44] came from the annual Workforce Summit that he has held that is coming up again on October
[57:49] 7th and focused on veterans. Scott's work extends beyond Sullivan County. He helps strengthen
[57:55] the New York program statewide data collection process. So employment outcomes and systems change
[58:01] activities are measured more consistently across New York. And as a certified community work incentive
[58:07] coordinator, he also provides benefits advisement and helps participants understand how employment
[58:13] affects their Social Security SSI, SSDI Medicaid, and etc. So, we're all very, very proud of Scott with that.
[58:21] Summer Youth Employment Program kicked off July 6th, 46 youth are enrolled.
[58:26] Sites include bold gold media, single-bite Catholic charities,
[58:30] Hurleyville Performing Arts Center, Monticello High School, SUNY Sullivan,
[58:34] Federation for the Homeless, Town of Bethel, United Way, and the Town of Thompson.
[58:38] The Center for Workforce Development worked with the Center for Discovery and
[58:42] Legislator Award and participated in a career fair held on June 24th at the center.
[58:48] It brought the college together as well to meet the staff as well as members of the public.
[58:55] The event was an avenue for individuals to learn about opportunities at not just the
[58:59] center but how their skill development can be supported through the center for workforce
[59:03] development and what the college has to offer for that.
[59:07] Several individuals are being followed up with by the center.
[59:10] We are holding a customized hiring and recruitment event focused on certified nurses assistant at the Career Center on July 24th from 2 to 4.
[59:20] Businesses that will be present that have confirmed is the County of Sullivan, Roscoe, Rehab and Nursing Center, Chief Rehab and Nursing Center.
[59:29] The college will also be there to work on the recruitment for the next certified nurses training.
[59:35] The
[59:39] spring series outcomes for our in-house hiring events.
[59:43] There were six of them.
[59:44] They successfully connected local talent with employers.
[59:47] There were 22 employers in attendance over that time period and 137 job seekers participated.
[59:54] There were 571 individuals who received assistance through the partnership of the Center for Workforce
[59:59] Development.
[1:00:00] The government and the Department of Labor through the month of May, and the Center for Workforce Development provided 14 new businesses with service and listed 176 jobs in May. And in terms of labor market data, the non-farm jobs increased by 900, year over year for the month of May, or 2.8% and private sector jobs increased by 800, excuse me, or 3.1%.
[1:00:28] Biggest growth sectors year over year were private educational and health services at 600
[1:00:34] jobs, professional and business services at 200 other services, trade transportation, utilities
[1:00:43] and government all came in at 100 job growth, leisure and hospitality year over year, lost
[1:00:49] 100 jobs, and financial activities also lost 100 jobs year over year.
[1:00:54] I did a comparison. Our unemployment rate for May this year was 3.8, which is up from 3.0 last year.
[1:01:03] However, if you look at post-COVID, 21-22 is really when we were coming out of COVID and a lot of the employment was popping back up again.
[1:01:13] The labor force during that one-year period made a May increased 9% or 3,000 and that was
[1:01:21] 3,500 employed folks and the unemployment dropped by 700. If you look at 2022 to 2026,
[1:01:31] our labor force only grew 3% or 1200 jobs. So the employed numbers went up two and a half percent
[1:01:39] or 900 from 22 to 26, and unemployment that went up 27% or 300 during that same time period.
[1:01:51] I also took a look at the industry sectors and the job numbers.
[1:01:55] And looking at 22 to 26, the largest sector by sheer job numbers is private education and health services,
[1:02:03] which currently is at 9,800 jobs that had the largest growth of 40% or 28
[1:02:10] hundred jobs over that four-year period. Government came in second at 6,000
[1:02:15] that is 300 more jobs than it was in May of 2022 and trade
[1:02:23] transportation and utilities at 4,500 and that is up 200 jobs over 2022. The largest
[1:02:31] growth by percentage was private education and health services, 40% growth.
[1:02:38] Professional and business services had a 33% growth or 600 jobs, and government had a 5% growth at 300 jobs.
[1:02:47] Like I said before, leisure and hospitality was the only sector that lost from 22 to 26, and that was a thousand jobs or a 21% loss.
[1:02:59] Nationally, leisure and hospitality jobs are down.
[1:03:03] Reasons for that are just weaker seasonal hiring,
[1:03:07] consumer caution in terms of where they're spending their money
[1:03:10] and where they're going, and plus, God bless you.
[1:03:13] The labor supply, there's an aging labor force,
[1:03:17] as well as in some areas, some of the immigration restrictions.
[1:03:21] For June, the leisure and hospitality was down across the country
[1:03:27] 61,000 jobs. And the other thing, too, that's happening, is the lowering of workforce
[1:03:33] participation. There was a report in CNBC that labor force participation measures the
[1:03:42] working age population of those that are either employed or they're looking for work.
[1:03:47] It fell to 61.5%, which is the lowest rate since March of 2021. And if you exclude the
[1:03:55] COVID loss. It is the lowest participation rates since 1976. Many people think that is because
[1:04:02] there's a lot more retirement going on. However, in June, the biggest plunge came from what is
[1:04:08] defined as the prime age workers, and that's those between the ages of 25 and 54. That rate fell
[1:04:16] to 83.3% or 0.6% the lowest since 2023. There are lots of reasons for that, and I think some of
[1:04:25] of those reasons are very specific here.
[1:04:27] While I don't have hard data, I know anecdotally
[1:04:30] that there are people because of the childcare subsidy,
[1:04:33] loss of not having enough money with that,
[1:04:36] has put some folks where they can't make that subsidy,
[1:04:39] so they either have gone to part-time,
[1:04:41] or they've checked themselves out of the workforce for now.
[1:04:44] There are other people that just things have happened
[1:04:47] in their life that they've made different decisions.
[1:04:49] There's no one reason to have that impact.
[1:04:53] So the thing that I say is that even though leisure and hospitality is down, all of our other industries are either kind of steady or increasing.
[1:05:03] And given the economic upheaval that the country is going through, it, that makes me feel pretty good that we're kind of holding steady.
[1:05:12] We don't have any serious big growth going up, but we're holding steady.
[1:05:16] And so that's my report. Any questions?
[1:05:18] Yes, I have questions. Sure. And and this is a comment that I make to everybody who's going to speak today.
[1:05:24] I don't think that everything is okay in Sullivan County. Maybe some people think we're holding our own. Maybe we don't. We're down severely in sales tax.
[1:05:34] And I have such tremendous respect for the institutional knowledge that you, Commissioner Brown, Commissioner McAndrews, that you all bring to the table.
[1:05:42] So I appreciate the update, but what are we going to do?
[1:05:45] Where are the resolutions?
[1:05:47] What do we need to do to move the county forward to stop
[1:05:50] just treading water or maybe leaking water out of the boat
[1:05:53] and move the county forward so that the county is prosperous,
[1:05:58] so that the people that live here don't have to worry about
[1:06:02] losing their homes or about where they're going to eat?
[1:06:05] What do we need to do to become a prosperous county?
[1:06:09] from a workforce perspective which is what I'm up here reporting on. It would be
[1:06:18] wonderful in a wonderful world that there was and I so appreciate the
[1:06:22] investment that the county has made over the last several years in terms of
[1:06:27] training dollars making that available to train the workforce is a deeper we need a
[1:06:33] deeper commitment on that plus some of the supportive services that need to
[1:06:40] happen. That is not necessarily county tax dollars. There could be some serious
[1:06:45] research on grants there out there, federal levels, state level, whatever. But I
[1:06:50] do think that if there is a robust attempt to go after every grant dollar we can
[1:06:57] get our hands on because we cannot raise taxes to get ourselves out of this where
[1:07:02] we are. It may have to. I've heard like 30 percent. I mean, but but to really get us
[1:07:08] out. Okay, but there also has to be, it's not just one thing. It's not just what Heather is doing,
[1:07:13] it's not just the workforce. I mean, Mark, when he comes up, there are things on the horizon that
[1:07:19] are coming that will be creating jobs. It's a collective of working all together. It's not one
[1:07:24] thing or the other. If people can't afford to buy food, if people can't afford to put gas in their
[1:07:29] car, they don't really care about the sales tax. That's not their concern. Their concern is getting
[1:07:36] through every day. So I think collectively there's a way the sales tax is going to affect
[1:07:42] the property tax on their houses. I know. Legislative work. So first of all I know you're put on
[1:07:47] the spot. So like that makes sense with what you shared. I do want to share with you that I was
[1:07:53] able to have great conversation. Scott's a gem. I mean truly. And so we had talked about potential idea
[1:08:00] which could result in a resolution of we're seeing we would we want to see more of like skilled workforce right and like what is that look like and what does that mean and what does it have to start in our schools and so we began to talk about the potential for like an alternative education program that is like catching because graduation rates are so low.
[1:08:27] that's catching those folks who may need a little bit of an alternative, more of an alternative
[1:08:32] that's already offered and working with like the school districts, obviously Sullivan County
[1:08:39] workforce development and the college and really trying to figure out like what kind of a policy we could put together
[1:08:47] that supports that and starts a fledgling of that. It started with a microphone.
[1:08:54] It started with the partnership with BoCy's
[1:08:59] Rob DePore was here and the college and work for us right when workforce brought
[1:09:04] them together and said we need trades we need this we need this for our adult
[1:09:09] population. The challenge is now we're going to have a new superintendent at
[1:09:15] BoCy so it starts all over again. I right now I'm trying to collect the data to
[1:09:21] show we did a construction class, we did a welding class, we did an electrical
[1:09:25] class, an automotive tech class, all of those folks I think all but two that
[1:09:30] attended all those are all working. But you don't necessarily have to repeat
[1:09:36] those classes because there's a saturation point where a small can. And so it's
[1:09:42] coming up with a flexible training opportunities where there can be off the
[1:09:49] shelf things that are provided when there's a cluster of
[1:09:53] businesses that need it. More investment in on the job
[1:09:57] training. And that can help your seniors that aren't
[1:10:01] necessarily going to go to college right away. They may
[1:10:03] want to go to college later, but not right away, to be able
[1:10:06] to funnel them into on the job training opportunities, where
[1:10:10] they can begin with an employer. Employer gets some payback
[1:10:14] on their wages that are being paid. And then this young
[1:10:17] person gets that opportunity. Yeah. Even if you created more programs. And you already
[1:10:23] you already have like that's already this day. Right. It is just a lack of enough resources
[1:10:29] to make the impact. Yeah. I definitely think though we have to catch the kids who are
[1:10:33] dropping out. Like later there's like I so I think that hits one pocket of student. I personally
[1:10:42] I would like to see as a legislator, as catching the student who's who's dropping out for
[1:10:47] whatever reason, not necessarily because they're not interested in their education, but sometimes
[1:10:52] because of circumstances. So I think that we need to, because those a lot of times are the
[1:10:58] student that are coming in for a job, but they just don't have the skill development to be ready
[1:11:03] for the job. So I think along with the high school senior that may not want to go off to college,
[1:11:08] we also need to be looking at the child that because of circumstance, they're not able to complete
[1:11:16] high school. So that is something along with that that I would like to be focused on. And if I could
[1:11:22] develop policy with my peers, I'm able to develop that. So that's something that our energy
[1:11:28] and our efforts and our resources goes into that. And thank you. If there is a collective agreement on
[1:11:35] that, I was going to say, we don't have the capacity to solve it all. But if we pick one or two
[1:11:42] targets to go after. We can collectively put all our energies towards that. I love the idea. It is
[1:11:50] the hardest group of people to capture. Of course. Our kids that have dropped out and they are
[1:11:56] also the hardest folks to retain. Yeah. I don't think it's just the so many issues going on. It's
[1:12:02] not necessarily just the ones that drop out. I mean here we're talking about it wasn't so much of a
[1:12:06] retirement class in the drop of the labor force, you just said, at the same time we just
[1:12:12] had eight different school districts graduate, how many have a cumulative number of kids?
[1:12:18] And how many of those kids are staying here?
[1:12:21] And then when you look of, you know, your investment, your tax dollars aren't going to save anything,
[1:12:25] and I'm sorry, I've said this my entire existence of being in politics, your highest dollar is
[1:12:31] going to your school district and then unfortunately because of the height of expense to run a district,
[1:12:38] your town and your county are now pigeonholed to the money they could spend because the cumulative
[1:12:44] tax rate is so high you can't afford it. Just in liberty you have $34 per thousand going to your
[1:12:52] school district and 13 going to your town and county. So now you take your town out of your county
[1:12:58] and you really only have $6 per thousand of assessed value going into your county.
[1:13:05] So now we are now, you know, $25 plus dollars behind what the school district is taking
[1:13:12] and running their three, four buildings. And us as legislators are stuck trying to deal with highway
[1:13:20] and roads and personnel safety. It's such a messed up system. And then when I was in the town,
[1:13:28] I had sent something out to the associations of towns to get a better way of adjusting
[1:13:34] the tax rate, and they were like, yeah, it's a great idea, but that's not how we formulate
[1:13:38] our taxes, because they know it's already, it's already set.
[1:13:42] So when you look at any other investment you make, your return, if we're not capturing
[1:13:47] the kids we're educating at our highest dollar, and they're leaving, they're leaving.
[1:13:54] Thank you.
[1:13:55] Thank you.
[1:13:55] We're going to leave the legislature.
[1:13:57] The reason they're leaving for us is
[1:13:59] Sullivan County has called my backyard syndrome.
[1:14:03] Nobody wants nothing to be built around the houses.
[1:14:06] They come up here.
[1:14:07] They want to live the country alive.
[1:14:08] They want to fresh it.
[1:14:09] They think we talked about.
[1:14:11] We talked about an incinerator.
[1:14:13] Creates 400 jobs.
[1:14:14] I don't want it.
[1:14:15] They talk about warehouses.
[1:14:17] You got truck drivers, employees,
[1:14:20] gasoline, restaurants.
[1:14:22] They don't want warehouses.
[1:14:23] My nephews are working in Amsterdam, Middletown, $3 million, $3 million square for buildings
[1:14:31] that are putting up.
[1:14:32] God forbid, they put one in Sullivan County, God forbid, it'd be like the atomic bomb
[1:14:36] hitting us.
[1:14:37] Well, nobody likes change up here.
[1:14:39] I think we need to do is go back to all towns, tell them to move the planning boards quicker
[1:14:45] so we get progress quicker.
[1:14:47] We should support the partnership to bring new different types of industry and business.
[1:14:51] Wait, let me finish.
[1:14:52] Yeah, no, you're good because because what's happening happened here in business for 44 years
[1:14:56] Nothing has changed here because the people don't want change
[1:15:00] People up in Nilesburg. Oh, this, you can't touch my river. You can't put nothing by my river. God forbid, you do something by the river. Meanwhile, you could put, you could put a hotel on a river, you could put, you could put, you could put, you could do many different. My backyard syndrome is the biggest problem in Selma County. That's the biggest problem. And the only thing at just very quickly, just to add to Joey's point here, the, the one thing that I will say that we've done as a legislative body, all of us voted on this. It was unanimous, but we invested the money in the old 17 court, or two specifically bring them
[1:15:29] those types of manufacturing facilities.
[1:15:31] We worked on that.
[1:15:32] I think eight years ago, we started that.
[1:15:34] But now it's done.
[1:15:35] Now it's done, the money's been allocated
[1:15:37] and the project is moving forward to actually,
[1:15:39] and those are pre-approved.
[1:15:41] So that doesn't have to go through any type of planning
[1:15:42] or anything else.
[1:15:43] So we talk about diversification.
[1:15:46] We talk about the tourism economy,
[1:15:49] which I know Mark has some stuff on,
[1:15:51] that just got proposed just the other night in Liberty.
[1:15:54] But these are the invent, forever.
[1:15:56] And we always talk about this, the infrastructure investments
[1:15:59] We're where we were behind to try to attract these types of projects. Now we've actually made those investments and listen to me, okay, come to talk and talk to the BS we want here.
[1:16:09] Nothing gets done. This is a generator, which could have been first of all solves our garbage problem and he said, we're only gonna get poison and die.
[1:16:16] Nobody understands the prevailing winds got a China. China bills over there and all blows the United States. These people all nuts, okay.
[1:16:25] We need to invest in our caddy. We need to go in a different direction. We need to build our airports and our airport bringing hangars to get some
[1:16:33] commercial airlines that whether it's cargo or whatever. They'll build warehouses. They'll build their build headquarters. If you don't have for them to do something here
[1:16:42] They're not going to come and it takes money and it takes a chance. It's a chance. It's going to be risky
[1:16:48] Risky is all about life, man. Thank you, but just later, Perlo, Legislator Ward and then let's just say to Rajas.
[1:16:53] I just want to say thank you so much. Your presentation was fantastic. There's clearly an increase
[1:16:58] that you shared with education and health care, right? So I'm hoping to talk to you at some point
[1:17:05] because maybe there could be some advocacy. Like you're saying you advocated for some of those
[1:17:10] trades to get into those fees. Maybe we could advocate further to be like an actual DSP program at
[1:17:16] those fees so that that could potentially expose students to what that field looks like. Because I
[1:17:21] also think there's a lack of understanding of what that field entails and the
[1:17:26] population and so a lot of our youth won't get into that field because they'll
[1:17:31] hear the stories, you know, and a lot of it is misinformation. So if we could
[1:17:36] advocate for that, I'd love to talk to you about maybe that's another channel and
[1:17:40] another way to get our high school students skilled in that field since it's a
[1:17:45] growing field based on your data. Thank you. It is a growing field. The last thing
[1:17:50] that I will leave while I support holy as a taxpayer here in this county, all the infrastructure
[1:17:54] investment that is going on. Let's not forget that infrastructure is also our people.
[1:18:00] And we have to invest just as much in them as we do in bricks and mortar and roads.
[1:18:07] Thank you.
[1:18:07] Legislator Rajas.
[1:18:08] I just want to say that I agree with Legislator Ward in developing something with the group
[1:18:15] that is dropping out of school and career entry-level skills in some fashion or form not necessarily DSPs, but just giving them the basic to get a job.
[1:18:31] And to address Brian McPhillips issue, I'm going to bring up my school district, two buildings, five administrators, student census going down.
[1:18:41] My biggest question is why. No one wants to address and look at the schools and the student
[1:18:49] census and the administrators and the cost when everything is going down population-wise
[1:18:56] and yet we're running at the same capacity of full-blown engine, right? So this is a discussion
[1:19:04] that nobody wants to hear. I did bring this up at patterns for progress. It was like one
[1:19:09] one of those, you know, you can't talk about it. No, we can't talk about it because
[1:19:12] it impacts on our taxes. Seniors are paying those school taxes. $600 million for all
[1:19:20] the school district's budgets combined. Well, there you go. Our county budgets, $300 million.
[1:19:24] This is something that has to be discussed on a global level in Sullivan County. What the
[1:19:29] hell are we doing? Yeah, I always often say we should have, they should call us school
[1:19:33] legislators, fire legislators and county legislators because we all do really the same thing.
[1:19:39] we appropriate money, we love e taxes. We set policy, we make laws, and we serve our constituents
[1:19:45] for whatever they are. But I think we need to bring those people together. I was the last graduating
[1:19:52] class in my high school. I went to a Robert Perry High School in Maryland. We were the last class.
[1:19:57] They closed the high school after I left. And it happens sometimes when population dictates it.
[1:20:03] We just got to look that hard.
[1:20:04] So I want to echo what Legislator Wars said about Scott.
[1:20:09] I think Scott is a real gem.
[1:20:10] And he's a tremendous resource, especially when because it is disability pride month.
[1:20:16] And so last month when I was working on the disability pride proclamation and all that Scott was a tremendous resource.
[1:20:23] And then the other thing I want to remind us all is that we have veterans today.
[1:20:26] And we have less than an hour before that starts.
[1:20:28] Thank you.
[1:20:30] Commissioner Quigley and McGandrew and Brown, the three of you together, the institutional
[1:20:36] knowledge that you have.
[1:20:37] I hope that you will put that to work and come to this body with resolutions to move
[1:20:42] this county forward.
[1:20:43] You have the institutional knowledge that is spectacular.
[1:20:49] You know, I know no people from counties all over the state and you in particular know that
[1:20:54] I come to you with my questions.
[1:20:55] I think that you are just a wonderful wealth of information and whatever it is that you think that we need to do to move this County forward bring it to me. Call me.
[1:21:05] Let's bring the resolutions before this committee and let's do it. I love that you. The programs that you did, the students that you graduated, that's great and the flexibility is phenomenal.
[1:21:15] Keep doing it. Think outside of the box. Come back to us with resolutions. Thanks.
[1:21:22] What do we have? We already did a CVA idea.
[1:21:27] Hello. We love our idea.
[1:21:32] Good morning, everyone.
[1:21:36] So you have my report in your packet. I don't have a whole lot in the way of updates.
[1:21:42] As you know, our next board meeting will be this coming Monday the 13th. It's a pretty slim agenda.
[1:21:48] So it should be a quick meeting. The agenda went out yesterday. Excuse me in the agenda packet.
[1:21:53] It will be up online, probably by end of day today.
[1:21:57] In terms of other updates, I'm working on one application.
[1:22:00] It's a nice little project to Laura's point,
[1:22:04] or one of Laura's points, or one of the data points
[1:22:06] that she mentioned.
[1:22:08] It's an educational facility.
[1:22:10] So that should be a nice one.
[1:22:12] And I will be probably posting that application online
[1:22:14] and circulating it in the next couple weeks.
[1:22:18] Excuse me.
[1:22:20] Other than that, I don't have too much.
[1:22:21] there's the report contained reference to a resolution relating to Resorts World Refinance
[1:22:31] and you also saw a press release that went out last week, late last week. The upshot there
[1:22:37] for my purposes is that Resorts World Refinance successfully occurred without the use of the newly
[1:22:46] we created Sullivan County Resorts Facilities
[1:22:49] local development corporation as a vehicle for issuing bonds.
[1:22:53] So we expect that that entity will be dissolved
[1:22:56] in the near future.
[1:22:58] I don't have anything else.
[1:23:01] Does anyone have any questions for me?
[1:23:04] Hi, Jen, and I just want to reiterate that LDC,
[1:23:07] the local development corporation,
[1:23:09] that there was no Sullivan County taxpayer money
[1:23:11] that was put into that that went out of anything
[1:23:14] like that, I just want to reiterate that to the public because there was a lot of confusion
[1:23:18] about that and not just in Sullivan County, but we saw articles out across the West, right,
[1:23:24] nationally, about Sullivan County was bailing out resource world. It was in Albany, so it was in
[1:23:31] Nevada, right? So just to clarify, right? The refinance means that nothing happened with those bonds,
[1:23:37] the LDC will be dissolved and no Sullivan County taxpayer money was used. That's all correct. Yes,
[1:23:43] Thank you so much. So folks out there, you know, when can we expect that LDC to be dissolved?
[1:23:50] I just feel that that opened us up for a huge litany of well, the process is it has to go to
[1:23:56] the state attorney general's office. So I mean, that's in the process week. I just do not,
[1:24:00] me personally, I do not want that open any longer than it has to be. Right. I don't think anyone does.
[1:24:06] So yeah, it has, it goes through the AG's office. I believe the board has to adopt a plan
[1:24:11] the solution I've done it once before for a much smaller entity but we'll work
[1:24:16] with Walter and with council on it to make sure it gets done. And if you can keep us updated to
[1:24:21] that process and we went through it with the the the solution of the LDC that we had before Sunset Lake
[1:24:26] it is a process right it right and a lot of times you know you're just waiting for updates
[1:24:31] from a higher entity so but if you can keep us updated because I share Brian's concerns. Absolutely.
[1:24:37] Okay thank you Jen thank you. Is anything this committee can do for you please bring the
[1:24:40] resolutions forward please hesitate to call me please help us move the county
[1:24:44] forward I know you can thank you so much have a good day thank you chamber of
[1:24:48] commerce morning
[1:24:57] everybody how are you today can you use a bagel good thing
[1:25:02] bagel fast is a month from today so I hope to see everybody yes yeah we'll
[1:25:08] have they'll be they'll be bagels if they go fast
[1:25:16] We have continued bringing businesses, organizations and community partners together around different initiatives that help to strengthen Sullivan County's economy and quality of life.
[1:25:28] We're welcoming new members celebrating local businesses through ribbon cuttings,
[1:25:34] continued planning for upcoming networking events, and it made significant progress on one of the chambers.
[1:25:41] Most important long-term initiatives, the Sullivan County Community Calendar.
[1:25:46] It's going to be the one place that centralized location for all things that are happening within Sullivan County.
[1:25:52] We're working with a few partners.
[1:25:54] We already have a couple that have agreed and working on setting some things up for a couple others because it's a proprietary information on their websites, so we just want to make sure we have our due diligence.
[1:26:08] But your support has allowed us to build much more than an online calendar.
[1:26:13] It's going to be a county-wide economic development tool, a marketing platform for small businesses and offer profits, and another asset to support tourism.
[1:26:21] It's also a coordination tool that helps reduce scheduling conflicts and
[1:26:26] encourages collaboration, giving users one place to discover what's happening in
[1:26:31] Sullivan County. Chambers now preparing for a soft launch and we'd like to
[1:26:35] invite 10 to 15 key community partners to preview the platform, test the
[1:26:40] functionality, provide feedback for its public launch. I'd also like to welcome
[1:26:46] the opportunity to schedule a demonstration to this legislator so you can see
[1:26:49] first hand how your investment is benefiting the community. Looking ahead our
[1:26:55] attention is focused on one of Sullivan counties signature summer events the
[1:27:00] Bagel Festival taking place Sunday August 9th on Broadway Monticello. What
[1:27:05] started as a celebration of one of Sullivan counties unique claims to fame has
[1:27:10] grown into something much bigger. This year we're expecting 10 to 18,000
[1:27:15] visitors on Bagel Boulevard for our little street fare.
[1:27:19] It's a day that showcases our businesses not for profits, artists, restaurants, and
[1:27:24] the incredible energy of our community.
[1:27:26] The event continues to grow because of outstanding partnerships.
[1:27:30] A special thank you to Boldgold Media for promoting, for producing the music stage and helping
[1:27:36] promote the festival throughout the region.
[1:27:38] The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office led by our undershore who once again host the popular
[1:27:44] bagel triathlon. This year we're also introducing an interactive community art experience, welcoming
[1:27:50] student volunteers and also welcoming student volunteers from the Delaware Valley Job Corps Center
[1:27:57] and partnering with the regional food bank of Hudson Valley which is planning an interactive
[1:28:01] competition that not only engages festival attendees but also highlights their important mission
[1:28:07] of addressing food insecurity for our community. Events like this don't happen because of one
[1:28:13] organization. They happen because businesses invest, volunteers give their time, not-for-profits,
[1:28:19] participate, municipalities collaborate, public safety agencies provide invaluable support,
[1:28:28] and county leadership recognizes the importance of events that generate economic activity and
[1:28:33] showcases Sullivan County. On behalf of the Chamber, I'd like to thank you for your continued
[1:28:38] partnership and support and I'd personally like to invite you each of you to join us on August
[1:28:43] 9th stop by our Chamber Booth and see firsthand the energy of this important impact will invent
[1:28:51] be honored to have you downtown Monticello with us for what promises to be a memorable day in Sullivan
[1:28:57] County. Thank you. I think we need to get to the economic the partnership next but I just want to say
[1:29:02] maybe for next month you know I'm particularly interested in what your businesses are feeling I know
[1:29:07] my business, what was going on unemployment, disability workers, compensails tax, I mean
[1:29:12] that, you know, like, what, what, what do your businesses need from us? What, what would
[1:29:17] they complain about Sullivan County? What would attract more people to come here? So think
[1:29:21] about it, we're a little short on time today, so we will go to the partnership, Max, Mark,
[1:29:26] I think, oh, I'm sorry, did you have something to say?
[1:29:33] I was on the agenda. I'm sorry. No problem.
[1:29:40] Hi, I'm Laurie Orstano, James, and I am proud to say that I am the immediate past chair
[1:29:45] of the Sullivan County Chamber Foundation. I just want to let you know the leadership
[1:29:50] Sullivan class of last year ended. I heard earlier the concept of ambassadors, this class
[1:29:56] are ambassadors. If you have never come to any of this
[1:30:00] There are sessions. We know we put that information and then invite out to you on a regular basis. Please make sure when we start back up in September that you are. We have applications that we had a waiting list that are starting to come back in. We go, it's the good and bad, and the ugly is Sullivan County. They go see government meetings, they go see school board meetings, they go see planning board meetings, they have discussion around it. Their project, which is the comfort closets in the schools, is still ongoing. They have gone into a number
[1:30:29] of different they raised close to $10,000 through grant funding and through fundraisers
[1:30:34] to be able to ensure that all schools in need have. So we're very, very pleased with
[1:30:40] the work that they did. And it was a very great graduating class. They were all
[1:30:44] phenomenal. They were terrific. No doubt about it. Thank you so much. I'm sure they're
[1:30:49] glad to hear that. The Bridgerton Ball, for those of you who've been waiting, I
[1:30:52] just want to remind you July 30th at Burn Bray. It is our one and only
[1:30:56] annual fundraiser for the foundation annually. There will be rooms specific to the great things going
[1:31:03] on in Sullivan County. Yes, we do encourage dress, you can go on Amazon and get your outfits if
[1:31:09] you want, because they do have them. My week is ready to go. I do want to let you know that our new
[1:31:16] chair I'm so proud to say is Adam Jacobson, who is the hotel sales manager at Resort Sort of
[1:31:23] world cat skills. And I do want to let you know who our new board is. Jen Jensen from Hudson
[1:31:27] Valley's home source, Alyssa Woke from Children's Home, Holly Rao from SUNY Sullivan, Matt
[1:31:33] Rourke from the Monster Golf Course, Laurie Solomon Lungobardo from Koso D Lungobardo, Ashley
[1:31:41] Levit of all things, Accuracy, Pratican, Maddenkin, who is also a treasurer from Insight
[1:31:47] Cypher Accounting, Matt Sush, President and CEO of Sullivan County Chamber, Jackie Levit
[1:31:52] been tossers as advisor, Shirley Felder as advisor, and of course, me as immediate
[1:31:57] past chair.
[1:31:59] But just shy of three years ago, I came into this position, I was asked by then Jamie
[1:32:05] Schmeiser if I would help rebuild the foundation.
[1:32:09] We had some very key points and I just want to say every single one of them was achieved.
[1:32:16] We are financially solvent, which we were not, there was no money in the bank and there
[1:32:21] money in the bank now. And that allows us to do those professional development
[1:32:26] programings that we've been doing leadership Sullivan and working alongside
[1:32:30] the Chamber to be able to provide services to the community. My job was to
[1:32:34] regrow the board with active membership. You just heard who those members are and I
[1:32:38] can't say that I can say that an amazing, amazing group of board of directors
[1:32:43] moving forward. To restructure and build the leadership Sullivan program at the time
[1:32:47] And we were the leadership Sullivan program was visiting communities and not visiting what
[1:32:53] it is that we do.
[1:32:54] So we went back to the concept of agriculture, tourism, education, government, economic
[1:33:02] development.
[1:33:03] We have each month, each 10, within the 10 months, we visit a different genre of the county.
[1:33:11] And as we make sure that there's a clear understanding of the class, it is the connectivity.
[1:33:17] all is connected. So where you're talking about all the different things of well
[1:33:22] there's this and then there's this and then there's this. The bottom line is
[1:33:25] there's nothing is in a silo and if we do things in silos no matter what we do
[1:33:29] we will never grow, we will never change. We have to be working together. That is
[1:33:34] what's a key focus and needs to be looked at from top to bottom across the ways.
[1:33:40] So, you know, I'm really pleased with the ability to rebuild that program and continue to build
[1:33:48] from that program going into some additional programs that we will be offering in the future.
[1:33:53] A visual presence as the foundation because for the longest time it was at the leadership
[1:33:58] Sullivan program. No, we are a foundation and we provide funding and we can provide services
[1:34:04] to and for the chamber and for the community at large.
[1:34:08] Also to align and build back relationships with the Chamber and other potential partner agencies, we worked hard to do that and we look forward to the continued growth that this is going to bring.
[1:34:18] I thank you all for indulging. You will see me, too, because Adam's schedule is a little busy. So as I will continue on, you know, doing some of that public facing, but we do think that the work that we're doing will make a difference in leadership not only today but tomorrow.
[1:34:34] and where we can move our counties.
[1:34:37] So I thank you all for what you do
[1:34:38] and hope to see you again soon.
[1:34:40] Thank you.
[1:34:41] Partnership?
[1:34:42] Oh, yes, naughty.
[1:34:43] Before the partnership comes up here, come on up, Mark.
[1:34:46] Come on, come on.
[1:34:47] I just want to say very quickly that on Tuesday,
[1:34:52] Resorts World held their grant awards event,
[1:34:56] which was phenomenal.
[1:34:58] It started out at their facility in Queens,
[1:35:01] where they handed out, I think, six or more grants.
[1:35:04] We had a similar event here. We were video zooming them down there. I believe assembly woman K pulled
[1:35:13] The grant award for the Alzheimer's
[1:35:17] Organization I pulled it for the animal sanctuary. There were over six awards giving I think $10,000 each
[1:35:25] And then Newberg came in to play. So kudos to resource world for giving back to their community
[1:35:32] And speaking about Adam, there is an event because allegedly to Parillo mentioned the golfing event.
[1:35:42] This is tunnel to towers foundation that's going to have a golf event at Resorts World at their golf course right on October 2nd.
[1:35:54] So if I'm not a golfer, but if anybody wants to have
[1:35:57] one of these, I'm going to be passing it around.
[1:35:59] Well, we're also talking about golfing at the resource.
[1:36:01] Just about two years ago, we had a discussion about giving
[1:36:06] back to the community.
[1:36:07] And they have a discount rate for Sullivan County residents,
[1:36:10] which is half price during a week.
[1:36:12] So people may not realize it, but it's half price
[1:36:15] considered what they charge.
[1:36:17] And it goes again to the George World.
[1:36:20] What, Matt?
[1:36:20] Are you not even a sponsor for someone?
[1:36:23] Yeah, I'm going to sponsor. And that's on your radar.
[1:36:26] I've got a team. Yeah, a little bit on the website next to the wing night in
[1:36:31] Zumba. Oh, just so like last night we, we thought better than I like.
[1:36:36] All right, uh, partnership. Ready. So, um, gotta bring some positivity to this.
[1:36:42] Uh, microphone. You're gonna lift it up. You're a lot going on in Solving County.
[1:36:46] Bring some positivity to the dorm. If that was an outsider, I think we were,
[1:36:49] we're destined to failure here. There's a lot. We are not, but we
[1:36:52] We do have some financial difficulties.
[1:36:54] We do, but things are changing and things are good.
[1:36:58] But I'll start with a little doom and gloom because I come to you every month and I know
[1:37:03] that it's frustrating for all of you.
[1:37:06] You want projects to happen right away.
[1:37:08] They don't.
[1:37:10] I'll talk to you about a project.
[1:37:11] It'll be three years later.
[1:37:12] I'm still talking to you about the same project.
[1:37:14] It's the way it goes in the state of New York and there are things that are challenging
[1:37:18] in this state and Joey mentioned them and it's true, not only the NIMBY situation,
[1:37:23] but the regulatory hurdles that we have to go through to get a project approved are astronomical.
[1:37:28] And they take time. So if you want me to answer a question that you had before, what can we do to help?
[1:37:33] Use your influence, come to our planning board meetings when there's a project, use your political
[1:37:38] influence to talk to the representatives of the state to push projects forward to shorten the
[1:37:42] timeline for approvals and the regulatory process make that more efficient so
[1:37:47] that we can get projects through, particularly in rural communities, it's
[1:37:50] devastating because it just takes too long to get things that I mentioned as
[1:37:55] often that the Mario Chromo Bridge was approved and designed and finished in less
[1:38:01] time than we have projects still on the docket today. You can't have that three
[1:38:05] years. We have projects that are going on in five years. That said we do have
[1:38:10] some good news. And we'll just go through a litany of projects. We'll end up with a big one
[1:38:16] to address that. The other person that made a good comment was Kat. And Kat said, we have
[1:38:20] to diversify from tourism. We do. You have made great strides in doing that. The old 17 quarter
[1:38:27] infrastructure project is in design right now. These things take time. They do. There are legal things,
[1:38:33] there are public hearings or things that we have to go through that they're in design. That is
[1:38:36] is going to happen. I remind you we're able to attract your $140,000 investment catalyzed
[1:38:43] $21 million. So that's a win. By any stretch of the imagination, we'll see the benefits
[1:38:50] of that soon. We have to bring infrastructure to that quarter. When we do, we'll have activity
[1:38:56] there. It will be industrial commercial and positive of that.
[1:38:59] The Atwoods project in Bethel, which is the Tech Retrieve,
[1:39:04] those of you who might need a reminder,
[1:39:06] it's a project that's going to bring tech industry folks here
[1:39:11] and solving Google's, the Apple's, the gamers and all that
[1:39:14] to a location in Bethel.
[1:39:16] Got their final approval from DOH.
[1:39:18] Again, another one that took forever to get done,
[1:39:21] but they did get that done finally last month.
[1:39:25] They're in the process of now doing their designing,
[1:39:28] They're construction planning and all of that so that's good. That is going to happen in Bethel
[1:39:34] And that's a 30 I think up to 36 million dollar project done
[1:39:39] Livingston Manor legacy hold this thing holdings. You know, they had their pools done. They got some money from the state
[1:39:44] That's a project is gonna be done in Livingston Manor. You saw the news this morning. They just got the
[1:39:48] New York grant as well
[1:39:50] That's gonna impact Livingston Manor even further than what's going on there. That's a good project
[1:39:56] Granglaunch Resort in Farsburg has been approved, a tourism project, high end cabins in the Farsburg area, that is going to happen.
[1:40:05] It's a project that is done and moving forward. There are plans that are in it like Joseph for expansion, that is going to happen.
[1:40:15] The big one, of course, is what happened the other night and finally at the Liberty Planning
[1:40:19] Board, the developers at Grossingers did submit their plans.
[1:40:24] We've known them all along.
[1:40:25] We've been working with those folks and there, they're going to be regionally impactful.
[1:40:31] It's a big project.
[1:40:34] Grossingers have been singing around for 40 years.
[1:40:36] Nothing's really happened.
[1:40:37] We had developers come in, developers come out.
[1:40:39] Finally, we have a developer that had to wear with all to do it.
[1:40:43] And not only are they going to be successful because they're good developers and they've
[1:40:48] done this many times before in Florida and other locations in the country, but it is
[1:40:53] a project of passion.
[1:40:54] So the key developer did attend, they'd go to Groceryers when he was a kid and went to the
[1:41:00] Bushville hotels, others and the Brickmen and others in the area and the Navaly and the
[1:41:04] Concord and everything else.
[1:41:05] I can name 100 of them if I have to but that was the impetus that that drove his you know
[1:41:13] Decision to come here, although with obviously making a profitable on that sort of thing
[1:41:18] several hundred million dollars. I mean, I'm probably short shorting it. They didn't give me the final number
[1:41:24] They're going to redo the original big G golf course
[1:41:27] They're going to add an additional golf course on top of that called the north course
[1:41:31] We're gonna add a
[1:41:32] a question in center year round to bring folks up from the Hamptons and other
[1:41:38] locations that don't have a year round location to do that there. They will
[1:41:43] have a boutique hotel closer to the lake. They will have a spa. They will have a
[1:41:49] pro center, a pro golf center with instruction and they will have homes that
[1:41:54] you would see around golf course. Like at West Hills or like some of the golf
[1:41:57] of course, as you see in Westchester County and Jersey and beyond that's around, of course.
[1:42:03] So the preliminary concept was discussed on Monday night, Tuesday night, Tuesday night
[1:42:12] with the Village of Library or Tunnel Liberty Planning Board.
[1:42:16] I assume they're going to take lead agency on this as they should.
[1:42:21] It's an impactful project.
[1:42:24] It's going to bring in several hundred jobs to that location.
[1:42:26] and it's certainly something that we're looking forward to getting done there
[1:42:31] in that area. It will have impacts throughout the county and beyond. So when you
[1:42:36] look at it, you look at all the project, you look at atwoods, you look at I think
[1:42:40] Fimpo's decisions coming as living soon, you look at like Vincent Light's the
[1:42:44] oldings, you look at the project on old 17, you look at what's going on at
[1:42:51] grossingers and one that I forgot to mention there's a contract that was agreed
[1:42:55] two for the old PepsiCo plan.
[1:42:58] Hudson Valley Farms is the one that was awarded that contract so they will be investing in
[1:43:06] that location and adding jobs to that location to address their growing hot agribusiness products
[1:43:14] that they produce for entities like Whole Foods and that sort of thing.
[1:43:17] So that's adding to that location and sat there about a year.
[1:43:20] I knew it was going to be purchased at some point, you know, we work with NICEG, we work
[1:43:27] with other entities to make sure we're working with the village, water and sewer infrastructure
[1:43:32] folks.
[1:43:33] We have to do some preliminary presentations to the village planning board, but that's going
[1:43:37] to happen there.
[1:43:38] A cumulative total of all of this, and you add it all together, it's going to be somewhere
[1:43:43] around $750 million of investment and approximately 1,500 jobs.
[1:43:48] that's going to happen. I would never throw that out there and risk staying that publicly,
[1:43:53] but I didn't know that it's already done. Things are in place, investments are being made,
[1:43:59] the term sheets are being signed, the planning is being done, it's going through those
[1:44:04] and several stages, but this has been going on for years. I mean, it's been going on for
[1:44:10] since COVID. I mean, some before COVID, an economic development takes time, and you have planning
[1:44:16] boards and all planning boards are not the same. We have different, you know, requirements
[1:44:22] and different things that you have to do depending on the town. You have folks in the communities
[1:44:26] that want projects. You have folks in the communities that don't want projects. So you're
[1:44:29] dealing with all these different factors in doing that. Our healthcare industry, due to the
[1:44:35] center for discovery mostly, but it's growing again. We have every green metal going on
[1:44:41] in Rock Hill. That's another $40 million project. They just got a $10 million from the state.
[1:44:45] So these things are happening. I know it doesn't solve your immediate sales
[1:44:49] tax problem. But again, I'll reiterate what Kat said. We can't solely rely on
[1:44:54] sales tax. We have to rely on long-term rateables, long-term solutions. Those
[1:44:59] things do...
[1:45:00] We take time. And my prediction is they will be hitting probably three years from now is when they're all going to really start to hit shovels in the ground, everything done, and the economy flourishing as a result doesn't help you in the immediacy. But it's good to know that these things are coming and they wouldn't have happened if you didn't make those investments years ago. In addition to that, your broadband investment, investment at the airport, all these things are happening in different silos, but they are happening happening together and humanatively.
[1:45:29] and they're going to have a broader impact when they're all coming together with all the projects that are here.
[1:45:34] So I can't sit here and cry in my beer. I know that these things are coming and I know it's going to be impactful.
[1:45:40] It doesn't help you today, but I know the future looks bright for Sullivan County.
[1:45:44] And if you have any questions, be willing to answer.
[1:45:46] I do have two suggestions. One is a request. So I know that you're not part of the agenda packet.
[1:45:52] So I'd like to see your remarks outlined for the agenda packet.
[1:45:57] You could please submit those to the clerk so that every all these great updates that you're giving us
[1:46:01] They need to be for the record and include it in the agenda package. Some things can't be talked about as you know
[1:46:06] That's why we I don't want to hear about the things we can't talk about but the ones that you did talk about today
[1:46:11] I would like to see those listed so that we could be more structured
[1:46:14] So because there's absolutely nothing we go for Michael has beautiful presentation takes a lot of time to put that in there
[1:46:21] But in anybody else who's not in this packet as well
[1:46:24] You got to put something in the packet. It's going to help you to structure your remarks and for us to have it as part of our record
[1:46:30] What happened in this committee meeting because who's going to remember what mark by as said, you know, three weeks from now
[1:46:36] If it's not in the packet and we can't go back to it because nobody's going to go back and listen to the audio
[1:46:41] So please have your remarks prepared and put in there. The second thing is I believe that and I could be wrong that the partnership has a
[1:46:49] contract for workforce development, not today, not anymore.
[1:46:55] Okay.
[1:46:56] Well, thank you.
[1:46:57] So next month, let's try to maybe up the game on the agenda packet for the clerk a little
[1:47:02] bit.
[1:47:03] You could talk to Mike.
[1:47:04] If you need some pointers, he clearly takes that part of his job very seriously.
[1:47:09] That's quite a wrap.
[1:47:10] Any other questions on projects?
[1:47:11] Because I think I presented a lot there.
[1:47:13] I think it was a good report you gave us.
[1:47:16] And the biggest concern we have is, you know, we need it, we need an influx of, I don't
[1:47:23] want to say new people, but younger people, different types of industry people because,
[1:47:30] you know, they talk about the healthcare, we have healthcare people here that work here.
[1:47:35] Now we need the plum is coming up here, we need the luxuries to come up here, we need a,
[1:47:40] plenty of mechanics, there's no data about it, but, you know, we need year round housing,
[1:47:46] not affordable housing, a year-round housing,
[1:47:49] and when people start moving here,
[1:47:51] there's more needs for the Starbucks, the restaurants,
[1:47:56] and then we'll get our hospitality up that way.
[1:47:59] So, I mean, I don't know what came first.
[1:48:01] The people are the companies,
[1:48:02] but I think the companies came first.
[1:48:04] And the people will follow.
[1:48:05] The good news announcement with Ken Kari and the group.
[1:48:09] Killin' in Liberty as well.
[1:48:12] Okay, Mark, keep up the good work.
[1:48:13] All right, legislators any further discussions? No. No. All right, let me agenda public comment.
[1:48:34] Okay, I'll try to make this short and sweet.
[1:48:36] Slowest bird. Many times stop there. No information. And now we have no visitors guide so there'll be no more information.
[1:48:45] Watch PBS, fundraiser, the documentary on Woodstock.
[1:48:51] We are known for Woodstock.
[1:48:53] Like we've forgotten about it.
[1:48:55] We don't push that.
[1:48:56] You know, you go to Philadelphia for Independence Hall.
[1:49:00] You go down to Newburg for Washington's headquarters.
[1:49:03] And more, these are old men.
[1:49:04] These are 250 years old.
[1:49:06] And here we got Woodstock.
[1:49:07] And we like to forget about it.
[1:49:09] And you talk about Bethel Woods.
[1:49:13] That's a venue.
[1:49:14] you, Woodstock, their museum, that's a history. And we seem to forget about it. It's not even
[1:49:22] part of our logo. Okay, lakes that you're very new to the county. The problem with lakes
[1:49:31] in Sullivan County and getting to go fishing or get on them, most of them are private. It's
[1:49:37] very hard to get on a lot of the water in Sullivan County. So it's not a really good tourist
[1:49:42] draw because they're not available, just because they're sort of locked by ownership.
[1:49:52] Mr. McPhill over there talks about traveling and going online. I'm really tired of this
[1:49:58] going online routine because you're, you're ages. That's what you really are. You're ages
[1:50:04] and you're going to take out your phone and look down here, even more ages. Shop right,
[1:50:09] digital coupons, ages. They make it difficult for us or anybody who is not savvy. I'm savvy,
[1:50:17] but a lot of people aren't savvy. Don't want to are annoyed by doing that. Everything's online,
[1:50:22] online. You know what that is? These are these young bucks coming into the system, getting out of
[1:50:27] college and want to make big money and they're pushing all this stuff. Forget us.
[1:50:34] I'm not the most savvy.
[1:50:35] you probably have me be okay I would like a copy of and I think all you
[1:50:41] legislators should get a copy of the last RFP we put out and all contracts
[1:50:47] signed by the Visitors Association so we know what they're supposed to be
[1:50:51] delivering all of this okay and that's a verbal request foil request so I
[1:50:58] appreciate it if you would do that I'm not gonna sit down around a long
[1:51:02] letter to you on that one. We need more beds. Tourism, tourism, tourism. If you can't put
[1:51:08] heads on beds, you got no room tax. Okay. And when you have heads on beds, you've got
[1:51:14] a whole other economy that goes with supporting those beds. One stop, visitor ascension, when
[1:51:20] we used to talk about it, we used to talk about having one stop. The IDA, the partnership
[1:51:26] and the visitor association all in one space, something to think about. I'm here. I'm
[1:51:32] way to hear the calendar, I just hope on the public's end that it's easy to put information
[1:51:40] into it. My wife does that. She's got about a list of 50 different places she's got to
[1:51:45] go to put information up. Some of them are easy, cut and paste. Something we got to re-enter
[1:51:51] takes nine clicks to do TikTok, all that good stuff. Your law, your code, paragraph 182-18,
[1:52:07] definition of permanent resident. Instead of New York room tax this defines a permanent resident
[1:52:15] as 90 days and we have a 30 days I believe there's a stronger and that's the one that should
[1:52:21] per bail. When you have a three days, that means bungalow colonies don't have
[1:52:25] the pay room tax. I really think you should look at that and change it back to
[1:52:29] 90 days. You did have a 90 days or one time.
[1:52:35] One of the things I find with a business association,
[1:52:37] you're looking at their website, I think some of that's paid a play.
[1:52:42] Some people get, you know,
[1:52:45] okay, I'm corrected. I'll accept that.
[1:52:48] None of it is.
[1:52:50] All right, membership.
[1:52:51] It used to be a membership organization?
[1:52:53] Well, how do you vote for new board members if you're not a membership or organization anymore?
[1:53:00] Who gets to vote?
[1:53:02] Who gets to the mailers?
[1:53:03] Why do we, you know, the chambers of membership, but they did away with membership.
[1:53:10] The arts do not seem to get played as much.
[1:53:14] Yeah, wing night, but there's arts going on throughout the county. You're going to have some major ones
[1:53:22] Like chandelier you're good, but you also have minor ones where you have a a not-for-profit having a shows or like the
[1:53:32] The workshop in South Fallsburg
[1:53:37] I thought
[1:53:38] but Selvin's cash skills was trademark, is it?
[1:53:43] Is Selvin's cash skills trademark?
[1:53:48] Okay, then why isn't that copyright sign on it?
[1:53:51] That's all.
[1:53:52] So people, I
[1:53:56] thought it was already done, okay.
[1:54:00] Baby boomers are retiring at the rate about 6,000 a day.
[1:54:05] That's a lot of job opening folks.
[1:54:08] And we don't have the drag graduating classes
[1:54:10] that we used to have, beginning smaller and smaller, okay?
[1:54:15] bureaucracy is our biggest enemy on growth and you want to talk about school
[1:54:21] you talk about schools and school budgets go back and look at a year book
[1:54:26] 30 years ago and see how much administration you have and how much
[1:54:30] administration you have today and when I went to school it was 600 over 600
[1:54:36] kids at six classes middle school and high school you know what you had one
[1:54:41] superintendent and he didn't have a a business manager who had a PhD. All right, you had
[1:54:48] a business manager knew what he was doing. You had two guidance counselors. Now, think
[1:54:54] about it. Okay. No one talked about chart well that closed doors. Maybe we need those
[1:55:01] three lanes coming to Selma County now up to Liberty. I think we should put that back
[1:55:07] on the burner, okay? And nobody's really talking about housing, and I don't mean workforce
[1:55:14] housing because that's not a growth factor. I mean, homes for people. And we are not
[1:55:20] having any more of that. I mean, you just look at this town alone. You said, be a company
[1:55:25] called Wagner Saitel. That's not there anymore. That was a lumber company and you used to build
[1:55:31] housing? Think about liberty, mother's cell. Look at how many businesses are not there.
[1:55:38] Used to be a big business. They don't have any really big businesses anymore. You've got to try
[1:55:45] to figure out how to make that move along. Thank you.
[1:55:55] I usually don't disagree with Ken Walter,
[1:55:57] but on the fishing thing, Ken, there's fishing maps available. You go to New York DEC.gov,
[1:56:04] shows you there are a lot of private lakes, but there's plenty of public access for fishing in New
[1:56:07] New York State and it's all available at public information.
[1:56:10] Thank you.
[1:56:11] Yeah, there's 15 managed areas within Sullivan County at the PCS and then there's
[1:56:17] unmanaged areas as well.
[1:56:18] Commissioner Brown could tell us all about like superior and the other legs.
[1:56:22] We got Lake Ida and Thompson.
[1:56:24] Morning Marty.
[1:56:25] Hello, how's everyone doing?
[1:56:26] Good to see you.
[1:56:29] Last point in time counting Sullivan County bared some news that homelessness is up over
[1:56:35] but 30%. I sent everybody a picture yesterday of when I walk around early in the morning
[1:56:45] of folks who were sleeping on benches with their covers and blankets and what I see every
[1:56:52] day in the county is more and more people walking over Route 17 with shopping carts or baby
[1:56:58] carriages that have plastic bags with their clothes and while they're holding their children
[1:57:02] their arms. I haven't seen this for some months but I'm starting to see more and more and more.
[1:57:09] And we're talking about money being you know spent and money being wasted and what we need in
[1:57:17] the county and we're up to a million point seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars
[1:57:21] collateral that we spent since January not being able to house a hundred people. I'm not talking
[1:57:28] about the four to five hundred people at home was about a hundred people in the county
[1:57:31] collateral that we're bleeding every month we're bleeding dollars and last year at this point in
[1:57:37] time we were arguing and talking about Gateway what Brian had promised me that he had the votes he
[1:57:44] had the sight and he had the funding and none of that has changed which is why we just correct the record
[1:57:51] let me just let me finish which is why we didn't apply for the and I might be wrong
[1:57:58] because I'm the idiot in the room.
[1:57:59] You guys, you guys got the long shoes on.
[1:58:02] I might be wrong, and I'll even say right now I am wrong,
[1:58:05] all right?
[1:58:06] But I just remember what I heard,
[1:58:08] and my wife remembers the same thing.
[1:58:10] And maybe my character can be questioned,
[1:58:13] but Lynn's friggin' saint, you know what I mean?
[1:58:17] I will say this, that we have an opportunity this year
[1:58:20] to do the same thing, to collateralily save
[1:58:23] a quarter million dollars every single month
[1:58:25] in Sullivan County, all right?
[1:58:27] We're choosing not to do that right now. I'm here at all these things about we need this business and that business and the county
[1:58:34] And as long as I've been here a lot of the contractors when you contacted you to work in your homes
[1:58:39] They don't even contact you back. They don't come all right, so especially in the summertime
[1:58:45] You got a problem you got an electrical problem. You got a plumbing problem
[1:58:49] You got you got a construction problem in your house. They're not coming back
[1:58:52] But you know something there's a lot of people now and it's increasing every month that don't
[1:58:57] have to worry about those issues because they are sleeping on benches. And in the morning,
[1:59:01] if you take a walk, and I've invited everybody here several times over the past couple
[1:59:05] of years to come out with our outreach to get on the truck, all right, and see at five
[1:59:11] o'clock in the morning who's walking out of the woods, which we saw this morning, all right,
[1:59:16] and see what's going on. And I would beg you to do that. And I've been asking people in
[1:59:21] Sullivan County to do that for a long long time and a lean Gunther did it and
[1:59:28] Michelle Frazier approached us and did it not as somebody who's running for
[1:59:32] office but as somebody who was coming out with us and giving harm reduction
[1:59:36] materials out giving giving giving hope to people all right you know and and not
[1:59:43] oh how do you end up this way but we love you we care about you we want to keep
[1:59:47] in the game all right and I've asked you guys to come out and cat as well that's right I was there
[1:59:57] but what's horribly frustrating to me
[2:00:00] Is that we're not going to put on a billboard and we're not going to put in a brochure of those people sleeping on a bench. We're not going to put on a billboard or in a brochure. The people that are walking over the overpasses, but you know we're going to see it, the people that are visiting our county. And for business, and again, I'm the asshole in the room. I'm an idiot, but from a business perspective, all right. You would think we would start having that conversation. All right.
[2:00:30] Yeah, I agree. Compassion, consideration, because when we knock on people's
[2:00:34] go, as we say, we love you, we want to keep you in the game. Can we give you an
[2:00:39] arcane kit? We're in every Bethel Woods concert. We're talking about Bethel Woods.
[2:00:43] It's not hard to get there because we've been doing it for years. We have
[2:00:46] attended. People go to concert, see us. Food from the regional food bank of the
[2:00:52] Hudson Valley, the last inventory, over 50% were candy cookies or sugar drinks.
[2:00:59] They were not nutritious things.
[2:01:02] I know that because we still deliver
[2:01:04] to 758 people a week in this county.
[2:01:07] And the more we have less access to food,
[2:01:10] I know that's kind of an oxymoron,
[2:01:12] the more people are gonna be sleeping on benches.
[2:01:16] And that concerns me, that worries me.
[2:01:18] And it seems like that conversation and this meeting
[2:01:21] should be the meeting we're talking about, this stuff.
[2:01:25] Because if we wanna make this a healthy county,
[2:01:27] if we want to make this a vibrant county that we need to consider those who are helpless
[2:01:31] and every faith and every culture on this planet has a clause built in where we help the hopeless
[2:01:41] and I would beg you guys again I'll be here next month but it's really frustrating because I love
[2:01:46] you and I love these people and the people that are out there that are homeless and you know I love them
[2:01:51] Because that could have been me that should have been me
[2:01:54] All right, and I would beg you to keep that conversation alive, and I would beg you
[2:02:02] To consider gateway it might be an eye sore people might not want it in their backyard put it in my backyard
[2:02:07] I'll take it any day of the week
[2:02:09] But but please you know consider applying for it. We might have blown it again this year
[2:02:14] But we did blow to people sleep it on the bench. They're still there, and I love you guys
[2:02:18] I hope everybody says they say if you wake up in your air-conditioned houses or your warm beds because there's people out there who can't do that
[2:02:25] Stay safe. Thank you. Thank you, Marty
[2:02:29] chair
[2:02:32] Good when I
[2:02:34] Well, I just to correct the record
[2:02:36] I mean the conversation Marty's talking about is one when we were presented with the 20 bed facility for eight million dollars that
[2:02:43] Although it might have helped 20 people it did not solve the issue at hand
[2:02:48] No, it would have held 80 to 100 people per year.
[2:02:52] So they said, however, our census right now is at 244.
[2:02:57] Normally, it was at 300.
[2:02:59] So I don't want public conversation
[2:03:01] to take away from the work that family services is doing.
[2:03:06] And everybody in that field, as an update,
[2:03:11] as promised before my character gets
[2:03:14] questioned by somebody who doesn't want to hear it,
[2:03:16] There is work going on to come up with a facility that's going to
[2:03:22] provide a wraparound service because of what we're educated with is that majority of your homelessness comes from drug addiction and mental health.
[2:03:31] So instead of just putting up an eight million dollar facility for 20 beds, we are looking to properly handle the crisis that is in front of us and to get
[2:03:41] But it will be a wraparound service place that has got the information and the assistance
[2:03:53] necessary to first help the people that has contributed to their homelessness.
[2:03:58] And there's a law that says that your gateway housing cannot be in the same building and
[2:04:04] share a common doorway as your homeless facility.
[2:04:07] So we're looking at a place which we have numbers on.
[2:04:11] We've had DPW go check to see if it's a suitable location.
[2:04:15] So it is being worked on.
[2:04:16] And in the meantime, we are collaborating
[2:04:19] to provide the financial support necessary
[2:04:22] as somebody that represents District 3
[2:04:25] that encompasses Liberty.
[2:04:27] Liberty is inundated with five of the eight locations
[2:04:31] that are being utilized for these services.
[2:04:33] And we are not doing a good service to the people
[2:04:36] of our communities when we're putting those that have drug addiction next to domestic violence,
[2:04:41] next to families that have been displaced so it is not the proper answer and I do not feel
[2:04:46] personally that we are doing it any justice by throwing something up to put a bandaid on a
[2:04:53] bigger problem because if I build a 300 bed facility there's going to be other areas in this county
[2:04:59] and state that's going to fill that facility whether it be 300 beds and I'm sorry you're leaving
[2:05:04] We can continue this discussion next week in Health and Human Services because I
[2:05:12] would
[2:05:16] encourage us.
[2:05:17] I do agree as well.
[2:05:18] I could stretch this, you know, economic development is not having homeless people around
[2:05:23] but it really is more of a health and human services issue.
[2:05:28] Legislator Solomon and then if we could just keep the comments related, we're
[2:05:33] economic development that you know happy to give everybody a little leeway but um that was maybe a
[2:05:38] little more too much. I'll be brief okay if you go back six years ago unemployment was 10%
[2:05:46] in Sullivan County today with 3.8 so we should get a little bit of credit uh number two with the
[2:05:53] schools I don't want to pay higher school taxes but thanks to the breakdown of the family
[2:05:58] you got to have security, you have to have a monitor on the bus, you have to have cameras,
[2:06:03] that won't cost money. I think the formula of school taxies should be changed, but it
[2:06:09] costs money.
[2:06:12] All right. Public comment? Yes. My name is Star Hussie. I'm a member of this. Senior Legislative
[2:06:19] Action Committee. I was quite discouraged to see in an earlier RFP list that the county
[2:06:27] apparently is still pursuing, and from some of the comments that were made, they are pursuing,
[2:06:33] putting a waste incinerator into quote-unquote, solve all our garbage problems, question-marked.
[2:06:45] Anyway, this is just one example of the cognitive disconnect between people who profess the desire
[2:06:56] to increase having more people come to Sullivan County, visitors increase, people living
[2:07:02] here and working here, and promoting these things that are going to be totally destructive
[2:07:10] of many of the things that people come here for, not the least of which is possibly their
[2:07:16] own lives. I just don't understand this is not a NIMBY issue. Chemical pollution is all
[2:07:29] over the world. And if any of you have heard of the QC saying there is no planet B, that's
[2:07:37] absolutely right.
[2:07:38] I'm going to give you a little leeway but we're really this is really a public works project
[2:07:41] not an economic development project, although he tried, but a little bit, give you a little
[2:07:47] leeway.
[2:07:47] This is about the issue that was being discussed here this morning.
[2:07:53] People are professing that they want to make Sullivan County prosperous.
[2:07:57] What do we have to do to have that happen?
[2:08:00] Well, this is something that you do not have to do or should not do.
[2:08:04] So you cannot bring in a super polluter like this that's going to affect everybody and
[2:08:12] think that you're going to get people that are coming up and buying and building houses,
[2:08:17] coming here to visit, or even just coming to see Woodstock for a day and then going home.
[2:08:24] If you want to truly turn Sullivan County's income and economy around, you've got to start
[2:08:30] looking at the factors that might be affecting that downturn. Thank you.
[2:08:36] Anyone else for public comment? Yes, Rabbi Mendelweck.
[2:08:42] Hi, my name is Jakob Mendelweck and if I can speak a minute, there was very good numbers
[2:08:48] and employment and the number one was private education and health care. I just want to make
[2:08:57] where the legislature microphone the about the childcare situation if we are not opening reopening
[2:09:09] the childcare program the applications right now right now is the time when every day care
[2:09:16] is centered on making the decisions who to hire what to hire how much kids they going to have how
[2:09:23] much students are going to be enrolled the time is now the school year starts on September so the time
[2:09:28] is now. If everyone needs to wait till October to reopen the childcare program because we're
[2:09:34] waiting on how much money the state allocated, there's not going to be in October. It's now the
[2:09:41] beginning of the school year and it's useless. So if we want to continue the good numbers in private
[2:09:46] education, which goes tremendously and Laura said it that one of the things that we see it's going
[2:09:54] a little bit down is because of the child care situation that people are right now outside
[2:09:59] of the child care assistance program. If we could take it in mind that the time to act
[2:10:04] is right now because the time when you're hiring people is now. So with no direction, no
[2:10:11] one knows what's going to be and waiting on October is now the solution. Thank you.
[2:10:17] You are correct. Thank you for stating that out loud.
[2:10:21] So, right now, I just want to speak to that right now, we are waiting for more information
[2:10:26] from the state, so we have overspend our allocation by over $2 million.
[2:10:32] We reimburse about $500,000, yeah, so we're still at like a deficit of almost $2 million,
[2:10:40] and that's why the program hasn't opened up again.
[2:10:43] The good news is that the state doubled our allocate, almost doubled our allocation, right?
[2:10:47] So starting October, we will have double the funds that we had for the last fiscal year,
[2:10:52] but until the state either provides more of a guarantee that they're going to help fund
[2:11:00] that gap, we literally do not have the resources. So we understand the issue, but at this point in
[2:11:07] time, Sullivan County is not in a position to fund that deficit. Could I come up? Yes, sir.
[2:11:15] So, yes, I understand.
[2:11:18] Follow the pattern that the state reimburse Sullivan for everything.
[2:11:22] I know that right now there's only 600,000 and still there's $2 million.
[2:11:27] But there's a legislative director and OCFS which can be reached each and every day.
[2:11:32] And I personally called and asked, will is it the risk that Sullivan County is taking by...
[2:11:38] So he said, follow the pattern.
[2:11:40] and solving county walls and reimburse for everything.
[2:11:44] And that's the panel that the state is taking.
[2:11:46] If in October, let's say in October,
[2:11:48] it's going to be reopened.
[2:11:50] It's useless because it's already the beginning
[2:11:52] of the school year.
[2:11:53] Everyone has made already the plans and this.
[2:11:57] How are you hiring staff when you don't know
[2:11:59] what's going to be in October?
[2:12:00] But in the past, the state has promised funds
[2:12:02] that they have not delivered on.
[2:12:04] So if the state does not give us a specific guarantee
[2:12:08] on those funds,
[2:12:08] So the state is willing to give a guarantee not yet the state has not guaranteed those funds yet
[2:12:13] They will not given a writing but there is a legislative director, which it has to it has to be a guarantee
[2:12:19] This county is not in a position to fill that two million dollar deficit at this time
[2:12:25] It just we're not and when we have more direction and we get more information from the state
[2:12:30] We are definitely going to put that information out
[2:12:33] We are well aware of the impact this is having within the community within the job numbers within sale with
[2:12:38] within all everything that it impacts but right now we cannot guarantee that money until we get
[2:12:44] something firmer from the state because the state says things they don't follow through on things.
[2:12:49] We are not in a position right now to have the state ghost us on two million dollars. We're just
[2:12:55] not. And from a percentage that's almost a 3% increase that we would be assuming to the everyday
[2:13:02] tax payer to be waiting to be reimbursed on. So on top of the potential 30% decrease
[2:13:10] that we have, we'd be additionally adding 3% on top of that, almost with a maybe we'll
[2:13:18] get reimbursed. But we will follow up with our state representatives. We have a state
[2:13:22] senator and a state assembly woman that represents us in the state, and that's where we should
[2:13:26] be directing our, what, what, like what?
[2:13:30] I urge each and every one of you,
[2:13:32] you can contact directly the legislative director.
[2:13:34] And the government.
[2:13:35] As they are willing to share all of this information,
[2:13:39] I know how much they're willing to give a writing.
[2:13:42] Thank you.
[2:13:43] Thank you.
[2:13:44] Anyone else for public comment?
[2:13:51] Two things.
[2:13:52] One, if you're going to put a sign up,
[2:13:54] I would put it down.
[2:13:55] One of the safest communities in the state,
[2:13:57] thanks to the sheriff's department.
[2:13:59] a little prejudice because I was a deput up here and I don't know where you're probably
[2:14:04] over 50 years. But my main concern today is the 4,300 acre, not 1,200 acre, 4,300 acre
[2:14:13] of solar panel plants they're going to put in between the town of Forestburg and the
[2:14:18] town of Thompson. I know it's a state run thing. So in other words, what you're telling me
[2:14:25] or the other people that live down there is you don't run the county, the state runs the county, okay?
[2:14:31] They make all the decisions. This has been going on, unfortunately, I had to leave the county for a while, since
[2:14:40] 2020, and
[2:14:41] you won't believe the amount of people you want people to come in, you won't believe the people that are
[2:14:47] Selling their houses, even if it's worth half of what they paid for it to get out of the county because of these solar panels.
[2:14:54] There's also seven lakes down there okay a few that are private
[2:15:00] And the old state fish hatchery, okay? But they're going to ruin the lakes when they put the solar panels in. They say, oh, it doesn't have any effect, but it has effect on the grounds, because when it rains, it only affects until the ground becomes, and then it goes into the river, okay? The river runs from Melody Lake and seven other springs to the river, okay? So I understand why they
[2:15:29] concerned but I think that the county to do something about this. I know it's
[2:15:37] passed already but they've been cutting wood down for the last two years.
[2:15:43] All right and without a permit from the county. I hear you. That lady right there
[2:15:48] Commissioner Heather Brown talked to her about Oris the Office of Renewable
[2:15:54] energy-sighting, electric transmissions.
[2:16:00] It's an anomaly, like nothing else. When we say that
[2:16:04] we don't have control, we don't. There are intervener funds. We passed resolution. But please,
[2:16:10] if you don't know Commissioner Brown, she's a lovely lady. Go talk to her about this. She has
[2:16:15] got a handle on it. You couldn't even imagine. Also, you don't have to say publicly, but the clerk
[2:16:21] would love to know your name for the records. You can come to her privately. You don't have to say
[2:16:24] it publicly? No, my name is William. His name is Capito spelled K-A-P-I-T-O.
[2:16:30] Thank you. But please do talk to Christian Brown chief chief right now. I'm
[2:16:36] on the stop. Almost everybody but in Washington which I can do the congressman
[2:16:42] for this district unfortunately refuses to turn recall calls on anything all
[2:16:48] right so as far as I'm concerned we elected him he's worthless all right I got
[2:16:54] Mr. Brown you're you're gonna talk to him right? Okay. Good. All right anybody else for public comment?
[2:17:00] All right motion to adjourn by Brian 2nd by Louis 1201