Three cheers to Oneida County Executive Anthony J. (Tony) Picente, Jr., who is acting as the catalyst to turn the Mohawk Valley into the next technology hub. Last year, he initiated his “Vision 2020” project to build on the golden opportunity presented by New York state’s investment in the Marcy campus. In his words: “We’re on the path to a new prosperity and building the bridge to get there: We have our people, our institutions, our environment, and our character.”

The foundation of the bridge was laid 20 years ago when the state targeted nanotechnology as a future industry worthy of a large capital investment by taxpayers. The concept, developed in the Capital Region, of creating a cutting-edge technology center ultimately attracted private-capital investment eager to fabricate new products based on the research. Oneida County began its own efforts to attract the nanotech industry back in 1997 with a focus on semiconductors, which today is a $375 billion industry.

The Marcy campus, which houses SUNY Polytechnic Institute (the former SUNYIT), is now home to the new Quad C Center, a 253,000-square-foot facility, which includes a 56,000-square-foot, Class I clean room. The phase I building only represents a little more than one-third of the final structure. Complementing the Quad C Center is the fabrication site, located about a half-mile away on the same Marcy campus. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the project, we’re talking about a proposed building that encompasses 8.3 million square feet. Oneida County is now marketing the fabrication site in anticipation of shortly completing the site preparations.

While nanotech is a sexy subject grabbing most of the headlines, Picente sees a confluence of high-tech industries that includes not only nano, but also the national recognition of Utica College and its cybersecurity programs and the designation of Griffiss International Airport as a national test site for unmanned aerial systems. The Oneida County Exec. also doesn’t buy into “hope” as a strategy that everything will work out. Thus, he offers Vision 2020, which is designed to serve as a strategic plan to ensure that this golden opportunity is converted into high-paying jobs and a growing population for the area.

In June 2013, Picente asked 50 volunteers to join him in a public-private partnership to develop the plan to ensure that the workforce was ready to fill the new positions, guarantee access and opportunity for all residents of the county, and provide housing for a changing demographic for the new workforce. Howard Mettelman, the irrepressible district superintendent of Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, chairs the education committee; Tony Colon heads up the committee on diversity; and Ferris Betrus directs the housing committee. The committee heads are expected to deliver their reports in January.

The refreshing thing about Picente is that he is results-oriented — he wants more jobs and a growing population. The newly approved Oneida County budget includes millions of dollars he requested to implement the ideas contained in the plan. The next step is to get community buy-in through publicizing the plan and encouraging private-sector companies to invest in their own businesses in anticipation of the projected growth. Finally, Picente sees this as a win-win not just for Oneida County, but also for the region. Once he feels comfortable that the county has its act together, he plans to reach out to neighboring counties to share in the benefits of the Mohawk Valley as a technology hub.

Hats off, too, to Steve DiMeo, the unflappable president of Mohawk Valley EDGE. DiMeo deserves sainthood — or at least the Croix de Guerre or a lifetime supply of Zoloft — for his patience in obtaining zoning changes to the Marcy site, a wetlands permit, commissioning an economic study, obtaining funding, purchasing additional land, and hammering out a tax-sharing agreement with five government entities. After 17 years, his persistence and belief in the project are paying off.

Vision 2020 is the roadmap to lead the area’s economy from a tailspin resulting from the closure of Griffiss Air Force Base to a renaissance of thousands of new, high-paying jobs driven by multiple technology industries. This public-private partnership is working and should be a model for others to follow.        

Norman Poltenson is a regional staff writer and publisher emeritus with The Business Journal News Network. Contact him at npoltenson@cnybj.com

Snowfall totals that came with the historic snowstorm in November made national headlines. Erie and Wyoming counties reported 80 inches of snow. Parts of Jefferson, Lewis, and Oswego counties reported more than 30 inches and as many as 50 inches. Unfortunately, 13 deaths have been attributed to the storm.

Following the storm’s wake, Governor Andrew Cuomo traveled to Buffalo and announced that meteorologists did not predict the storm well, and residents were not prepared. While some may not have been prepared for the snow totals, it’s doubtful it had anything to do with the lack of weather predictions. 

Following Cuomo’s statements, meteorologists cited reports well before the storm that predicted that as much as five feet of snow could fall because of the amount of cold air blowing over the warm lakes. I recall reading local meteorologists’ reports days ahead of time that explained in detail why conditions were ripe for record snow totals. Still, the governor used the opportunity to promote the new $18 million “NY Advanced Weather Detection System” that will consist of 125 stations that provide data on air, wind, soil, and radiation. The information collected will be relayed to the public.

New York already has 27 stations operated by the National Weather Service throughout the state. Because the National Weather Service is currently providing what most would say is excellent service in New York state, does New York really need to spend $18 million for its own weather-detection system? Most people affected by severe storms would rather have that $18 million spent on helping them recover from the storm. Indeed, here in Central New York, our municipal budgets are often stretched during time of high snowfall because of snow-removal costs. If anything, $18 million would be better used to provide our municipalities assistance with these costs instead of using the $18 million on a duplicative weather-detection system. Further, as has been demonstrated time and time again, despite the best predictions, the weather will still happen and unfortunately cause damage at times.

Spend surplus on infrastructure
The New York State Budget Office estimates the state has close to a $5 billion budget surplus, due to large settlements with banks and financial institutions. The governor is expected to propose his budget in January and lawmakers have until April to negotiate and pass a budget. While we have a long way to go before the final budget passes in the spring, happily, there seems to be a consensus forming that this settlement money should be used to invest in infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as water and sewer maintenance. This is a good policy because this is a one-shot revenue infusion that should not go for recurring state operating expenses.

Recently, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner set forth a list of priorities she would like to tackle if Syracuse, like Buffalo, was able to obtain $1 billion from the state. She proposes much of the money to be used to upgrade Syracuse’s aging water and sewer system. I am sympathetic to her request (even though I would prefer that she advocate for a more regional approach). According to several reports, New York needs to upgrade its water and sewer systems. In fact, one report claims that to sufficiently upgrade our systems would cost $36.2 billion over the next 20 years. With the $5 billion surplus, it is not unrealistic to ask that a significant amount of that money be spent on infrastructure in Central New York.

William (Will) Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.