Business Edge Summer 2019

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S U M M E R

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It’s been a long time since we’ve seen growth like this W

e’re living in historic times in Sullivan County. We lead much of New York State in economic development. Our unemployment rate is a tenth of a percent away from a record low. We’re nearing

BY JOSHUA POTOSEK, SULLIVAN COUNTY MANAGER

completion of the largest building project County government has ever undertaken. And both government and private business are benefitting from

FRED STABBERT | DEMOCRAT

Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek stands in front of the largest building project Sullivan County government has ever undertaken – the new Sullivan County Jail.

increased revenues thanks to bustling downtowns, a slew of new tourism attractions and a stable national economy. Even amidst these better times, residents and visitors can be certain that Sullivan County government and its partners aren’t taking a break. Success brings challenges, both now and to come, and we are constantly, actively planning for the future. Diversifying our economy Sullivan County has once again risen to the top of visitors’ lists of interesting places to go in New York and beyond. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, Lonely Planet rated us one of the best destinations in the world. The natural resources we’ve long enjoyed are being sought out by a new generation of young adults attracted to the purity and beauty of nature – the kind we have in the Delaware River, the Catskill Mountains, the Bashakill wetlands, the Beaverkill and our seemingly endless lakes and forests. Many of our farms are benefiting as a result, as these visitors (and locals) are rediscovering the matchless taste and nutrition of farm-grown vegetables, fruits and livestock. And thanks to the new Catskill Food Hub in Liberty, we can spread our good food far beyond our local farms and markets, making it easy and inexpensive to get these popular products to the New York City metro region. We've seen thousands more people head this way for man-made attractions as well, from the new Kartrite Indoor Waterpark to the Resorts World Catskills Casino, from our multiple breweries and distilleries to our even more numerous Airbnbs. In fact, in 2018 alone we collected $210,000 just from Airbnb establishments, as our Treasurer’s Office inked the very first room tax agreement Statewide with this innovative company. Tourism and agriculture have always been the twin staples of Sullivan County’s economy, but as we know, they suffer boom-andbust cycles just like any other industry. That’s why it’s vitally important the County and our economic development agencies collaborate constantly and strategically to open up new areas of trade and commerce. The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development is a key partner in this quest, having helped land a variety of new

businesses, like the aerospace-oriented Metcar manufacturing facility in Glen Wild, employing close to a dozen people at competitive wages. The Partnership, the Industrial Development Agency and the County are working together to attract even more such factories and warehouses, particularly to the Old Route 17 corridor paralleling the Quickway between Harris and Ferndale. We’ve completed a study confirming this corridor has

Please see GROWTH, page 3E

INSIDE: To the People: Sullivan Economy not Dampened page 2E Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery breaks ground on tasting room page 4E Catskill Hudson Bank breaks ground on Monticello office page 9E The Sullivan Catskills 50 doves have landed page 12E Langan helps build Sullivan County's future pages 14E Spotlight on small business page 16E SCVA is breaking records page 20E SUNY Sullivan students on leading edge page 23E Minding Our Businesses page 25E


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