Waddington, N.Y. – The Village of Waddington, along with its state partners, is pleased to announce the first meeting of the New York Forward Local Planning Committee (LPC), which is scheduled for Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 5:00 pm at the Waddington Old Town Hall at 38 Main Street. The LPC meeting will kick off the New York Forward (NY Forward) planning process in the Village of Waddington. The meeting is open to the public and will include an opportunity for public comment at the end of the meeting. Please visit the Waddington NY Forward website at www.Waddington-NYForward.com for more information.
NY Forward is a central component of the State's economic development efforts, working together with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), to accelerate and expand the revitalization of New York's downtowns. NY Forward serves smaller communities with historic character that distinguishes them from the larger, more urban central business districts typically funded through DRI. NY Forward communities are walkable, less dense areas that serve the immediate local community, and are more local in nature - focusing on the immediately surrounding residential or rural agricultural centric development. Governor Kathy Hochul has committed $100 million for the first round of the NY Forward program. Each of the State’s ten Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) had the option of recommending two communities for $4.5 million NY Forward awards or three communities, one of which will receive $4.5 million and two will be awarded $2.25 million. Waddington was awarded $2.25 million.
NY Forward is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
The Local Planning Committee (LPC) includes local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives. LPC members will attend a variety of meetings at which they will be asked to brainstorm ideas, provide direction to consultants, review planning products, and prioritize actions. Mayor Michael Zagrobelny and Steve Lawrence of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council are the Waddington LPC co-chairs.
Village of Waddington Mayor Michael Zagrobelny said, “NY Forward is an important puzzle piece in helping Waddington to realize its vision and keep up with the changing economy of the new century. Collaboration, communication, and creativity between local stakeholders, industry experts, and state agencies will be the key to our success. Those three qualities are hallmarks of the Waddington community as it reemerges as the jewel of the St. Lawrence River Valley.”
Steve Lawrence, of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council and LPC Co-chair said, “We need the Waddington community to be a part of this process, whether you are actually submitting for projects or not. Community support through involvement and engagement in this process is important.”
Public engagement is a key component of the NY Forward planning process and fundamental to the success of NY Forward. The objective of public engagement is to ensure that all stakeholders have ample opportunity to be informed about the NY Forward process and its intended outcomes; to comment on the study as it progresses; to express their concerns and contribute ideas; and to participate in building a consensus about the vision for the Downtown and other outcomes, culminating in a locally supported NY Forward Strategic Investment Plan. Public workshops and engagement activities will be scheduled throughout the effort to allow opportunity for public input.
More information about NY Forward can be found at https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.