Dear Friends,

What an amazing effect a few days of sunshine has on your spirit and mood! This past week we saw temperatures in the low 40’s, the sun was shining, and I actually drove home from work on Friday with my sunroof cracked open blasting some music.

I’m not naive enough to think that spring is here or that we won’t see more cold temperatures or even a snowstorm, but it was nice to have a break from winter for a few days. I find myself looking forward to spring for many reasons, but mostly I have this really wonderful feeling because I know that warmer days are ahead, and I have a positive outlook for Chenango County!

Last Thursday Commerce Chenango hosted our annual Economic Outlook Briefing, which was sponsored by NBT Bank and supported by Preferred Mutual Insurance Company. Usually this event is a breakfast at the Canasawacta Country Club, with 100 or so of our members. It was wonderful that our friends at NBT Bank worked with us to still provide this event virtually, as it’s so important to hear from the experts on what the economic future looks like globally, and locally.

Last February we held our event like we always do, and we once again featured Ken Entenmann, CFA, who is the Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at NBT Bank. When I think back to last year, it was really a pivotal moment. We were just beginning to hear more and more about COVID-19 or Coronavirus. I remember listening to Ken as he discussed this variable, what the possible effects would be on the global economy and what we needed to be watch for here. We looked back on previous global health scares like SARS, Bird Flu and even Mad Cow Disease … no one had any idea or could grasp the pandemic that would take hold just a couple of weeks later.

Looking back on all that we dealt with this past year, I can’t help but to be hopeful for the future. Things are getting better. We are recovering. Vaccines are here and we are in distribution mode. Businesses are recovering and finding inventive ways to move ahead. People are starting to look hopeful towards the future and dare I say it … making plans? There WILL be a beach in my future this summer!

If you weren’t able to take part in our event last week, I encourage you to watch the recording that is available on our YouTube Channel and a link can be found on our social media platforms. I found it inspirational and hopeful for what our continued recovery looks like. Once again, Ken did a fabulous job of speaking to us, in a way all of us non-financial people, can understand. The markets are doing much better than we expected at this point and while many industries struggled and are slowly recovering, many fared quite well this past year. Have you tried to build a deck or do home improvements? While I am glad that there are a few niche industries that have survived, and even thrived, we need to see that trickle down to the other businesses.

There are more good things on the horizon for us and our business community. I just read an article that the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC) will be reconstituting the much anticipated Consolidated Funding Application competition (CFA) this year. That is assuming that the state budget passes, and we get the funding necessary from the federal government. The CFA program has always provided a much-needed infusion of revenue to our businesses and non-profits throughout Chenango County. The notice that this program is back on the table for 2021 was a welcome announcement and I am looking forward to seeing what programs will be available. Hopefully some of the ideas those of us charged with economic development around the Southern Tier shared with the state will be implemented, and it was wonderful to be able to share ideas and needs with those who make these decisions.

Chenango County is poised to really be at the forefront of the recovery in New York State. Our tourism program is ready and making moves to capture the local traveler. We have set up advertising and digital marketing to promote the assets in Chenango County, specifically our state parks, outdoor recreation opportunities, not to mention the cautiously hopeful return of our beloved festivals, concerts, museums, and parks. In fact, to prepare for the migration of travelers and those relocating, we are developing a new Community and Relocation Guide, that will be available later this year. This guide will highlight what makes Chenango County unique, it will highlight our assets and give our businesses the ability to showcase their products and services.

Progress is about making small steps to achieve greatness, and with these steps in the right direction I know that Chenango County will not only recover, but we will rebound and come back stronger than ever. I could go on and on about the economic development initiatives and programs we are working on at Commerce Chenango, but you can read about it in the 2021 Progress Chenango article, hear about it in the Economic Outlook Briefing recording, or give me a call.

Hold onto that positive and hopeful feeling you had when the sun was shining, and the weather was warm this past week. I know I feel better when the sun is warm, my sunroof is open and there is a great song blasting on the radio. I am going to hold onto that - even when that never-fail March snowstorm hits, because spring is around the corner and there are brighter days ahead!

Stay positive, Chenango!

~ Kerri