The Peru Gazette

The County of Clinton remains steadfast in its support of fostering economic development for the residents of the entire County. That is why the Clinton County Legislature, in conjunction with the State University of New York (SUNY) appointed the North Country Chamber of Commerce CEO/President, Garry Douglas, to convene the Institute of Advanced Manufacturing (IAM) Task Force. The goal of this task force was to ensure the vitality and longevity of the IAM in the Clinton Community College (CCC) relocation proposal. After just a few meetings, the Task Force put forth a set of recommendations that they believe will safeguard the origin of the IAM mission.

“The IAM Task Force was comprised of community stakeholders who set out to preserve and enhance the IAM,” said Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry. “The Task Force recommends that Clinton County negotiate a long-term lease with Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington BOCES/CVES. BOCES/CVES would utilize the space and provide the programming and workforce training the institute has always been designed for. The Clinton County Legislature welcomes this recommendation and looks forward to working with BOCES/CVES to fine-tune the details to deploy an action plan to get students in the classrooms as quickly as feasible. Overall, the Legislature remains committed to maintaining the integrity of the IAM, and we thank the Task Force for its efforts in finding a resolution.”

            “Champlain Valley Educational Services is committed to supporting the growing educational needs of our region,” said CVES District Superintendent Dr. Mark Davey. “Through this new partnership, we look forward to building on our successful track record of CV-TEC offering students excellent opportunities, resources, and training and providing North Country employers with new and talented candidates who strengthen our region’s workforce. We look forward to finalizing this agreement with the County and moving forward with the Task Force’s recommendation. ”

            The IAM Task Force was convened in February 2024, shortly after the announcement of the CCC relocation proposal. It comprised elected officials, state and county officials, and business community leaders. The North Country Chamber of Commerce submitted its final recommendations to the Clinton County Legislature, indicating that the task force has now completed its mission.

     “This is a completely positive outcome for all concerned, including Clinton Community College, CVES and especially our region’s manufacturers and all who can benefit from the training made possible by the IAM,” says Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber. “CVES’ CV-TEC division has the experience and commitment to take the IAM to a top level of training activity that will support and attract quality jobs and help many of our residents enhance their skills and careers. The timing is perfect as CVES finalizes plans for its new facilities at the Clinton County Business Innovation Gateway (CBIG), allowing coordination of the two sites. We thank all of the Task Force members for helping to identify the right path forward quickly, and we thank Clinton County, CVES, and Clinton Community College for their positive teamwork. Onward and upward!”

The Clinton County Legislature has reviewed the recommendation and will work with BOCES/CVES to finalize a lease agreement that allows them to continue the IAM’s workforce development training mission.