Local government leaders in Clinton County are offering an optimistic outlook for the region. Officials delivered ‘states of’ speeches this morning.
The North Country Chamber of Commerce hosts the chair of the Clinton County Legislature, the supervisor of the Town of Plattsburgh and the mayor of the city of Plattsburgh for their annual updates. Chamber CEO Garry Douglas said they combine the reports to bring more attention to the region's progress and challenges.
“Previously each of the three would have their own press conference to talk about the state of the city or the state of the county and do their own press release. We thought it would be of interest to the business community to have it all at one place at one time so there could be more attention given to it and more interest shown. But also so we could maybe see synergies and overlap amongst the three.”
Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes, a Democrat, delved into work done by each department during the past year and plans for the upcoming year.
“Plattsburgh is on an exciting path. As we look to the future, we’re poised to be the regional leader in sustainability and quality of life. The next few years will be filled with opportunities. Opportunities to continue growing our economy, expanding our infrastructure and making Plattsburgh an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Chuck Kostyk, also a Democrat, outlined work to increase housing in the area as business opportunities expand.
“The trajectory of the Town of Plattsburgh is tremendous. In 2025 we issued 400 building permits with an approximate value of $29 million. The Town of Plattsburgh has $2.2 billion worth of assessed value. Retail sales are right around $1.2 billion. That accounts for just a little under 60 percent of the retail sales in Clinton County. We’re driving heavily the economy here in Clinton County.”
Republican County Legislature Chair Mark Henry focused on the county budget and key initiatives. But he also summarized the state of the region’s municipalities in general.
“I am pleased to report to you that the State of Clinton County is strong and we are optimistic in our future. This past year, as you all know, brought both challenges and opportunities particularly around border security and international commerce, issues that matter deeply to our residents, our region and our Canadian partners. Clinton County recognizes the importance of our shared integrated economy and remains committed to a border that is both secure and open for business.”
Following the formal speeches, the Chamber’s annual Business Confidence Index was unveiled, which Douglas noted shows a slight dip over last year.
“The 2026 Business Confidence Index: 82 percent. Fifty-seven percent of regional business people responding to our survey said they expect their business activity to be up this year, 25 percent expect their business to be steady for a total of 82 percent. That compares to last year, it was 87 percent, a slight reduction but not a particularly significant one and actually is spot-on with 2024. So we’re kind of in that zone of high confidence that’s continuing.”
Douglas said that the business survey also indicated that 56 percent of respondents believe the national economy will worsen and 72 percent feel New York State’s economy will diminish over the next year.
