CANTON -- The North Country Regional Economic Development Council (NCREDC) met Friday at SUNY Canton to prepare for submitting its “strategic plan” in September.

During the public meeting, and other meetings over the last several months, the council took comments on its plan and priority projects.

The Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) deadline, for projects and programs under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s original regional council competition scheme, was Friday, July 31.

The council will post its 2015 progress report at http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/content/north-country after submitting the report on Monday, Sept. 21.

During the meeting, a reminder for Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI) submissions was announced. The URI, another competition among upstate regions, includes up to $500 million for three selected regional councils to implement over a five-year period. The council bills it as “an opportunity for the North Country communities to address economic challenges and work together in bringing jobs back Upstate. The URI is a separate competition and deadline from the CFA.”

“The three regions that make the most compelling argument will be designated as ‘Best Plan Awardees’ in the URI competition and will receive $500 million each that will go to projects identified by the REDCs,” the governor’s URI web page says.

The URI has been dubbed by critics a “Hunger Games” contest with big winners and big losers.

Also at Friday’s meeting, the NCREDC heard a presentation on “Global NY” from Empire State Development’s Senior Vice President of Global NY Erin Cole, who discussed achievements the program has made in the past year, commitments made by Governor Cuomo to offer global trade and investment opportunities to New York State businesses, as well as ongoing efforts to expand global business in the North Country, according to the press release from the council.

"Through broad public participation in the process and collaboration among public-private partners from across the region, the North Country is leading the economic renaissance of New York State’s small cities and rural communities," said Tony Collins, President of Clarkson University and co-chair of the NCREDC.

Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council said, "This is thanks to the incredible volunteer effort of all of our council members as well as dozens of other volunteers taking part in our committees and work groups. It is worth reminding everyone that the Regional Council has no budget and no staff of its own. Everything is done on a volunteer basis and with contributions from key organizations committed to the cause of economic development in the North Country. And once again, they are all doing great work for our region."

The progress report will be used to evaluate the region as part of Cuomo’s Regional Council initiative in 2015, which includes $750 million in state resources to support the economic development priorities of all 10 regions and spur job creation across the state, including $220 million in competitive funds from Empire State Development.

The NCREDC, comprising St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson and Lewis counties, is one of 10 regional councils across New York State that serve as a single point of contact for economic activity in the various regions.

The NCREDC was awarded $63.4 million supporting 69 projects in 2014. The council was named a “Top Performer” in 2013 and 2012, in addition to its strategic plan being named a “Best Plan Awardee” in December 2011. There are 291 projects across the region that have been awarded a total of $338.1 million in state support through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative and Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process in the statewide competition.