Help imagine the possibilities: What will Chenango County look like in 2050?
Chenango County Department of Planning and Development located at 5 Court Street, recently started to undertake developing the Chenango County 2050 Vision plan for economic development, community services of broadband, housing, transportation, and renewable energy/sustainability; to combat many challenges. (Submitted Photo)
NORWICH — Chenango County Department of Planning and Development, recently started to undertake developing the Chenango County 2050 Vision plan for economic development, community services of broadband, housing, transportation, and renewable energy; to combat many challenges.
Director of the Chenango County Department of Planning and Development Shane Butler said, “We're encouraging the public to participate with community input so we can address new technology and infrastructure needs and become more self-sustainable; while also super-charging our economy of the future.”
Chenango County residents can visit www.chenangocounty2050vision.com to see how to become involved.
“Help us gather community input by hosting a Chenango County 2050 Vision Meeting in a Box,” he added. “Meetings in a Box are perfect for groups like non-profit boards or committees, municipal boards, friend groups, families, etc. Your input will guide the future of Chenango County.”
Butler said a meeting-in-a-box is a package of facilitator materials for guiding residents and community leaders who would like to conduct their own discussions and visioning sessions with local groups and neighbors. The box includes project information, facilitator talking points, and tools for gathering and reporting suggestions.
Download the Meeting-in-a-Box kit at www.chenangocounty2050.com/ambassador-toolkit.
“In creating a new vision for Chenango County, we want to try and get our residents to visualize where they want the county to be or look like by 2050,” said Butler. “It takes a little more effort and much deeper thought when you think of it distantly. We want our residents to dream, and imagine the possibilities of what Chenango County could look like.”
Butler explained when you start comparing Chenango County numbers to statewide averages, the challenges are obvious. The County population continues to age and shrink, broadband is spotty, opioid use and homelessness is on the rise, and labor force participation is low. The report is one to shake and wake our rural county into realization that additional financial investment is needed to solve these issues.
“There are so many variables that redirect our path as a community every day, sometimes for the good and bad, but we still have to strive to make it a better place. We need to avoid taking the easy road and critique little details and take the harder path to decide what we can all do about it,” he added.
A previous plan written in 1992 for the Chenango County 2020 Vision was a monumental effort with a multitude of participants and organizations involved. Projections submitted included, but were not limited to expanding services using electronic and fiber optics, competing for federally funded community development Block Grants, and to establish a Housing Council with membership from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Butler was confident stating a number of projects in that plan were acted upon and said the Chenango Housing Council was created with the requested membership including public, private, and non-profit sectors and they meet regularly.
Butler explained visionary participants wanted the county and state to begin the process of expanding access to services using electronic and fiber optics network. He said currently there have been a number of efforts locally to try and expand broadband access to residents, both with wireless broadband expansion in the City of Norwich and Town of New Berlin as well as the fiber project in the Village of Sherburne. He said other efforts are in the works but some critics may say it hasn’t been done fast enough.
“We have been very successful in bringing in millions of dollars for housing projects since this plan was developed, most recently the $5.2 million Red Mill Housing Renovation and the $1.9 million wireless broadband expansion project,” he added.
Butler said, “Some will say all of the industry of old has left Chenango County, but look at the success of Chobani, Golden Artist Colors, NBT Bank, and others that have expanded since then.”
The 2020 Vision plan summary report can be found at www.co.chenango.ny.us
For more information or updates on our programming contact us on Face Book at Chenango County Planning Department or go to our website co.chenango.ny.us/Planning/
Director of the Chenango County Department of Planning and Development Shane Butler said, “We're encouraging the public to participate with community input so we can address new technology and infrastructure needs and become more self-sustainable; while also super-charging our economy of the future.”
Chenango County residents can visit www.chenangocounty2050vision.com to see how to become involved.
“Help us gather community input by hosting a Chenango County 2050 Vision Meeting in a Box,” he added. “Meetings in a Box are perfect for groups like non-profit boards or committees, municipal boards, friend groups, families, etc. Your input will guide the future of Chenango County.”
Butler said a meeting-in-a-box is a package of facilitator materials for guiding residents and community leaders who would like to conduct their own discussions and visioning sessions with local groups and neighbors. The box includes project information, facilitator talking points, and tools for gathering and reporting suggestions.
Download the Meeting-in-a-Box kit at www.chenangocounty2050.com/ambassador-toolkit.
“In creating a new vision for Chenango County, we want to try and get our residents to visualize where they want the county to be or look like by 2050,” said Butler. “It takes a little more effort and much deeper thought when you think of it distantly. We want our residents to dream, and imagine the possibilities of what Chenango County could look like.”
Butler explained when you start comparing Chenango County numbers to statewide averages, the challenges are obvious. The County population continues to age and shrink, broadband is spotty, opioid use and homelessness is on the rise, and labor force participation is low. The report is one to shake and wake our rural county into realization that additional financial investment is needed to solve these issues.
“There are so many variables that redirect our path as a community every day, sometimes for the good and bad, but we still have to strive to make it a better place. We need to avoid taking the easy road and critique little details and take the harder path to decide what we can all do about it,” he added.
A previous plan written in 1992 for the Chenango County 2020 Vision was a monumental effort with a multitude of participants and organizations involved. Projections submitted included, but were not limited to expanding services using electronic and fiber optics, competing for federally funded community development Block Grants, and to establish a Housing Council with membership from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Butler was confident stating a number of projects in that plan were acted upon and said the Chenango Housing Council was created with the requested membership including public, private, and non-profit sectors and they meet regularly.
Butler explained visionary participants wanted the county and state to begin the process of expanding access to services using electronic and fiber optics network. He said currently there have been a number of efforts locally to try and expand broadband access to residents, both with wireless broadband expansion in the City of Norwich and Town of New Berlin as well as the fiber project in the Village of Sherburne. He said other efforts are in the works but some critics may say it hasn’t been done fast enough.
“We have been very successful in bringing in millions of dollars for housing projects since this plan was developed, most recently the $5.2 million Red Mill Housing Renovation and the $1.9 million wireless broadband expansion project,” he added.
Butler said, “Some will say all of the industry of old has left Chenango County, but look at the success of Chobani, Golden Artist Colors, NBT Bank, and others that have expanded since then.”
The 2020 Vision plan summary report can be found at www.co.chenango.ny.us
For more information or updates on our programming contact us on Face Book at Chenango County Planning Department or go to our website co.chenango.ny.us/Planning/
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