Eight things you need to know on topics related to Saratoga County's economy.
8 @ 8 is a newsletter filled with eight things you need to know on topics related to the economy in Saratoga County, New York. You can expect to see 8 @ 8 in your inbox twice a month. If you have content you'd like us to share or have a topic you'd like to see more of, let us know and we'll work to include it in a future edition! - The Saratoga Partnership Team
1. Saratoga Partnership Board Appoints Shelby Schneider as President and CEO
The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership Board of Directors unanimously appointed Shelby Schneider as President and CEO, having serviced as interim President and CEO for the past month. Ms. Schneider has more than 17 years of experience in economic, workforce, and community development in Saratoga County. She had previously spent 13 years at the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, where she was a member of the economic development team that brought GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Saratoga County. In addition, she led one of the most successful Empire Zones in New York State, helping businesses throughout Saratoga County to access millions of dollars in state tax benefits to support expansion and growth. Read coverage from The Saratogian and The Daily Gazette.
2. King Brothers Dairy Showcases Its Relaunch Efforts During Seminar Series
The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership partnered with SUNY Adirondack, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the NYS Small Business Development Center for a talk from Jan King, owner of King Brothers Dairy and Business of the Year winner at the 2020 New York State Agricultural Society Annual Meeting & Forum, and John Bolster of Reduced-Fat Design. They shared their insights into the re-birth of a family owned business and how their client/designer partnership used customer insight to craft a brand promise to provide farm fresh quality dairy to the community through home delivery, restaurants, grocery stores, and farm-based retail in Schuylerville. Read more about the event from The Saratogian.
3. Southern Saratoga County Transit Survey Launched; flexible, on-demand service considered for area
A new survey is looking to find out where residents of southern Saratoga County would be interested in a flexible, on-demand bus service if it were provided through the Capital District Transportation Authority. The survey, available online or in print at a number of locations in the Mechanicville area, is being distributed throughout the Mechanicville Area Community Services Center and is aimed at residents and employers in the Mechanicville, Halfmoon, Stillwater, and Clifton Park areas, which have no public transit service now. The CDTA wants to run a pilot flexible service in the southern part of the county, but is looking to determine where the van route should run. The survey is being done jointly between CDTA, the community center, and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. Read more about the CDTA service here.
4. Former State Farm Office Building in Saratoga County Will Be Auctioned
A former call center for State Farm insurance that has been sitting empty for about two years in Saratoga County will be auctioned online. The two-story, 124,171 square-foot building at 101 State Farm Place in Malta will be auctioned March 23-25 on the website Ten-X Commercial. The property is located off Exit 12 of the Interstate 87 Northway near the Hyatt Place Hotel. The building is located on 25 acres, has nearly 500 parking spaces, and is fully ADA compliant. The starting bid is $600,000.
5. Happy Birthday Saratoga County!
On February 7, 1791, Saratoga County was formed from its parent, Albany County. Originally, Saratoga County had four towns: Ballston, Stillwater, Halfmoon, and Saratoga. Old Saratoga historian, John Brandon describes the history of the partitions of Saratoga. "Saratoga was a name originally given by the Indians to a district of country with indefinite boundaries stretching from perhaps Waterford to the State dam at Northumberland and including both sides of the river." Continue reading Brandon's description of how Saratoga County was formed here.
6. 2020 Community Planning Technical Assistance Program Call For Projects
The Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) and the Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) are pleased to announce their Call for Projects for the 2020 Community Planning Technical Assistance Program. This technical assistance program helps municipalities with land use planning + implementation, data analysis, trends, + mapping, and project development. Proposed initiatives must be small in scale + scope, result in a defined product, and in some way relate to the principles of a Quality Region as outlined in CDTC's New Visions 2040 Regional Transportation Plan. Municipalities and any related formally convened groups within the designated planning area of the Capital District Transportation Committee in the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady are eligible to apply here.
7. Workforce Development Is Critical To New York State's Economic Success
We are in the tightest labor market in decades and businesses are having a hard time finding employees in New York State. Over 50,000 good paying jobs site open in demand sectors, waiting to be filled. The executive director of the New York Association of Training + Employment Professionals (NYATEP) recently testified on behalf of workforce development at the NYS Legislature's Human Services Joint Budget Hearing in Albany were she stressed that workforce development is critical to our state's economic success. Executive Director Melinda Mack stated, "Any shortage of labor directly impedes our state's ability to attract employers, hinders business productivity, and economic growth potential". She also described the significant barriers to employment many New Yorkers are encountering including literacy and numeracy, hard skills training, and childcare. NYATEP, also known as New York State's workforce association, is a 175 member organization that was founded in the late 1970's. NYATEP represents every county in the State, and includes workforce boards, providers of economic development, unions, colleges, literacy, education, job training, and employment services. Read entire testimony here.
8. Skidmore College's Survey to Develop Trail From Moreau Lake State Park to the Saratoga Greenbelt Trail
Three seniors from Skidmore College's Environmental Studies and Sciences Program are working with Saratoga PLAN, Open Space Institute, and a group of regional partners to develop a trail from Moreau Lake State Park to the Saratoga Greenbelt Trail in order to promote outdoor recreation, sustainable economic development, and environmental conservation. They developed a survey to better understand the value of the current trails and recreational pathways in Saratoga County. It would be a huge help if you could fill it out and spread the word -- plus you could win one of three $10 Apple gift cards. Link to survey.