When we first offered our Blueprint for the Region's Future in January 2007, we envisioned it as an outline, like a set of plans, which once in a builder's hands, could reconstruct the way our community does business for the better.

We are gratified by the success that has come from several of our initiatives. The creation of a Musical Theatre Festival is under way, major steps have been taken to protect the Owasco Watershed and expanding local health care options, among others, are moving forward. We have sought to streamline and centralize the community's “alphabet soup” of local economic development agencies.

We are very pleased that our involvement has set the stage for the current discussions. We feel that we have played a vital role in creating a greater level of trust between the city and county, and worked hard to move the siting of the Saratoga Cheese Factory forward and creating a mechanism to streamline the establishment of regionally significant projects in the future. We are especially appreciative of the efforts of both Mayor Michael Quill and City Manager Mark Palesh in working to create a spirit of cooperation.

We have long been advocates for increased cooperation and have sought to provide the county and city concepts that have been used successfully elsewhere. It looks at this time that county leaders do not wish to have private sector resources committed as we envision, but want to move forward on their own, which we can and do support. We encourage the county to set a date for a vote for self-funding of their economic development proposal.

We have been advocating for change and expect that over the coming weeks and months we will see changes occur and look to see what action our leaders take.

Jack Bisgrove

Owasco

Bisgrove, a Blueprint founder, submitted on behalf of 16 group members who signed this letter