X

Assemblywoman praising Massena man’s appointment to NNY Power Proceeds Allocation Board

Posted 8/16/17

A North Country Assemblywoman is praising a Massena man’s appointment to the Northern New York Power Proceeds Allocation Board. Ian J. Maxwell was appointed to the post by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Assemblywoman praising Massena man’s appointment to NNY Power Proceeds Allocation Board

Posted

A North Country Assemblywoman is praising a Massena man’s appointment to the Northern New York Power Proceeds Allocation Board.

Ian J. Maxwell was appointed to the post by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the fifth member of the five-person board.

He will attend his first meeting as a board member on Tuesday, according to Assemblywoman Addie Jenne, D-Theresa.

He is a 2010 graduate of Clarkson University and is employed as a technical sales representative for DeFelsko Corporation, Ogdensburg, where he is responsible for software product development, as well as managing the distributor sales network in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and parts of the Middle East.

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl J. Heastie, following consultation with Assemblywoman Jenne, recommended Maxwell for the seat.

"I'm pleased the Speaker saw the importance of recommending a young professional like Ian to the governor for an appointment to this board, which has the potential to be another important tool in our economic development efforts," Jenne said in a prepared statement. "I think it is important to have a fresh voice sitting at the table with the seasoned members as this board works to enhance the economic development opportunities in the North Country.”

The legislation establishing the five-member power proceeds board calls for one of the board members to be appointed upon the recommendation of the speaker of the Assembly and a second board member to be appointed upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate. Both of those members must reside in St. Lawrence County.

"Ian graduated from Massena Central High School and Clarkson University and has chosen to remain in the North Country to begin his professional career here, where he is active in the local community," Jenne said in the release. "The Speaker shares my belief that it is important to give seats at the table to fresh faces as we make decisions aimed at providing employment opportunities to grow our local economy and to help stem the brain drain that has resulted in so many of our young people leaving the area to find employment with a livable wage. Ian will be able to bring the perspective of the young professional wanting to make his career in the North Country to those discussions," she noted.

In 2014, Maxwell helped launch the Massena Visionaries, which Jenne describes as “a grassroots organization working to foster community pride through volunteerism.” He has also served since September 2015 on the Moving Massena Forward Coalition and is on the board of directors for the Massena Arts and Theater Association.

Jenne said she also feels it is important to have someone from Massena on the power proceeds board. Massena, a municipality with a significant portion of its waterfront property on the St. Lawrence River controlled by federal and state entities, hosts the St. Lawrence-FDR Project.

The Northern New York Power Proceeds Act, which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law in December 2014, authorizes NYPA to deposit the net earnings from the sale of a block of unallocated electricity from the Power Authority’s St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project. The fund has accrued nearly $2 million, according to Jenne.

The board is charged with soliciting and reviewing funding applications from businesses and not-for-profit organizations in St. Lawrence County.

It is expected to begin making recommendations next week for funding allocations to the NYPA Board of Trustees, which would approve any funding.

Eligibility criteria and application instructions are at the proceeds board’s website at www.nypa.gov/NNYPPAB.

Other members of the power proceeds allocation board appointed by Governor Cuomo are Patrick Kelly, chief executive officer of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency; Robert McNeil, partner in McNeil Accounting Services, Lisbon, and former St. Lawrence County treasurer; Theresa Phalon, president and CEO of North Country Savings Bank; and Roger Sharlow, principal of RJS Consulting, Waddington.

Jenne represents the 116th Assembly District, the so-called “River District.” It covers all St. Lawrence County communities along the St. Lawrence River, in addition to Canton and Potsdam. It stretches southwest into parts of Jefferson County, including Watertown.