The North Country Chamber of Commerce hosted joint State of the County, Town and City speeches this week. The leaders of the three municipalities offered an optimistic overview and outlook for the region.
The annual breakfast meeting brings together the chair of the Clinton County Legislature, the Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor and the mayor of the city of Plattsburgh to report on the past year’s activities and projections for the upcoming year.
Chamber President Garry Douglas says it is more efficient to hear from the three leaders at the same time.
“We thought it would be good to bring the three together, create more of an audience more attention to all three, but also be able to see the synergies and interconnectedness amongst and between the three by doing them together in one place at one time,” Douglas explained.
Republican Clinton County Legislature Chair Mark Henry has delivered a State of the County address for six years.
“To get right to the point of this event, the state of Clinton County is strong and we look to the future with shared optimism and with confidence. We have seen new businesses open their doors with more on the horizon. We have increased and updated our infrastructure. We are advocating for increased broadband across this county. And we are ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively,” reported Henry. “But we are not complacent. While we celebrate our progress we also recognize that there is much work ahead and we are prepared to do that work.”
This was the first State of the City address for city of Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes, who took office on January 1st.
“I get excited when I talk about the city of Plattsburgh. Basically, my three main things I’m looking at in the City of Plattsburgh this year: housing and development, infrastructure, culture and rec,” Hughes said. “And right now, we’re also looking at hiring a police chief and I want to bring the best person for the police chief in the city of Plattsburgh.”
Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman, a fellow Democrat, offered a presentation reviewing development that had occurred over the course of 2024.
“The Town of Plattsburgh is well positioned. Interestingly enough the Town is celebrating our 240th year this year. We actually predate Clinton County. Last year the Town rebranded because we really want to embrace our historical position. But while we look back, we also are moving forward,” Cashman said. “In 2024 we had another banner year. We reviewed over 1.4 million square foot of new development in the Town of Plattsburgh, over 444 building permits with a value of over $54.5 million. Our community is punching well above its weight.”
The Clinton County Industrial Development Agency is one of the sponsors of the joint meeting. Executive Director Molly Ryan noted there are a number of ongoing initiatives that support existing regional businesses and their employees.
“This year has brought a lot of major investment to our region which is truly shaping the future of Clinton County. And while those are critically important to our future, business retention and expansion is equally as important,” noted Ryan. “We have taken on challenges that don’t necessarily result in job creation, but seek to help those people in jobs. That’s why we’re conducting a housing feasibility study and figuring out ways to make homes more affordable. Why we’re working on incentivizing childcare projects. And why we work very closely with our school districts to make sure that any financial incentives that we provide help them, not hurt them.”
Although the speeches reviewed last year, the potential impact of threatened tariffs looms across this border region. Henry acknowledged the economic threat.
“Clinton County recognizes the importance of our shared integrated economy and stands ready to work towards ensuring that both of us remains strong and that our shared border can both be secure and open for business,” Henry said.
At the end of the presentations the Chamber of Commerce unveiled its annual Business Confidence Index based on recent polling of its members. It shows 65 percent of businesses expect growth this year and a total confidence index of 87 percent, a 5 percent increase over last year.
