Sustainable development group submits report to Sullivan County lawmakers

The goal is to promote socially and environmentally responsible economic development

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — The members of Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development want to foster economic development in the county, but they want that development to meet several sustainable criteria. To further that goal, they created a report called “Renewing Sullivan” and presented a report summary to the county legislature on March 16.

The main author of the report, Alex Schafran, is a resident of Mountaindale and has 10 years of experience working with community development issues in California and New York City. Schafran told lawmakers that the report builds on the principles set out in the Sullivan 2020 comprehensive plan created by the county division of planning.

In a 13-minute power-point presentation, Schafran explained the report’s main points for judging whether projects would be positive for the county. Among them:

· Will the project enhance or harm the environment?

· Will the project pay employees a living wage?

· Has the project been discussed in an open and democratic process?

· Does the project have local ownership?

Schafran stressed the goal of the report and the group was to make a positive contribution to the county, and not to find fault with individuals or organizations. He did say, however, that the county’s economic development agencies should let more “sunshine in.” He said the boards of those agencies should be more inclusive, and the agencies should provide more information to the public through websites and other means.

The agencies were identified as the Partnership for Economic Development, the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency, the Empire Zone Board, the Agriculture Advisory Committee, the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and the Sullivan County Department of Planning and Community Development.

Shafran is an experienced and polished speaker, and some lawmakers greeted his remarks with enthusiasm. County chairman Chris Cunningham commended Schafran for doing a “nice job.” Lawmaker Ron Hiatt said, “It’s exciting. I like the vision, especially the part about locally owned companies.”

At least one lawmaker, however, privately wondered how the report differed from the county’s 2020 plan.