By Pat Bradley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-972914.mp3
Plattsburgh, NY – A former New York State labor commissioner who is now Solicitor at the U.S. Labor Department brought the economic development strategies at the regional Chamber of Commerce to the attention of U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. It impressed the Secretary enough that she invited a team to Washington to discuss how their programs could potentially work as national models. Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Garry Douglas said the five member team offered a presentation followed by a nearly hour long discussion.......
Garry Douglas believes the degree of accomplishments they have made in a rural region makes their programs superb national models......
The team that met with Labor Secretary Hilda Solis included the Chamber's Vice President for Economic Development, the head of the North Country Workforce Investment Board and key educators, including the coordinator of CV-TEC and Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute and Dr. John Jablonski, President of Clinton Community College....
The Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce has received over one and a half million dollars in federal workforce funding over the past three years. The money has been used to coordinate the North Country Aerospace and Transportation Equipment Workforce Task Force and advance other training programs.