POTSDAM -- Republican State Sen. Joe Griffo will be among the dignitaries who will be on hand when Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveils plans for a new North Country Regional Economic Development initiative this afternooon.

The governor is to appear at 3:30 p.m. in SUNY Potsdam’s Student Union multi-purpose room to make the announcement.

The North Country Regional Economic Development initiative is one of ten Regional Councils throughout the state.

In announcing a similar effort in Long Island Wednesday, Cuomo said the goal is to “redesign the relationship between the state government and businesses to stimulate regional economic development and create jobs statewide.”

Cuomo created the Regional Councils through Executive Order. The ten Regional Councils cover the Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York.

The Regional Councils represent “a fundamental shift in the state's approach to economic development, from a top-down development model to a community-based approach that emphasizes regions' unique assets, harnesses local expertise, and empowers each region to set plans and priorities,” he said.

Currently, New York State's economic development efforts are managed through dozens of separate state and local agencies.

The Regional Councils are designed to bring together stakeholders in every region of the state to serve as a coordinated point of contact for economic development. Each Regional Council will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy and will be led by two Regional Co-Chairs from the business and academic community. Additional membership is comprised of local leaders from business, academia, labor, agriculture, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.

Each Regional Council will develop a plan for the development of their region. The state will work with the Regional Councils to align state resources and policies, eliminate unnecessary barriers to growth and prosperity, and streamline the delivery of government services and programs to help the Regional Councils carry out their plans for development.

Through a new Consolidated Funding Application that combines resources from dozens of existing programs, the Regional Councils can now apply for $1 billion in state funding for projects they determine to be part of their regional strategy, Cuomo said.

Said Duffy, "these Regional Councils are an innovative approach to economic development that send a strong message that New York is open for business. By building each strategy to the specific needs of New York's many regions, we are putting our state on the path to future prosperity. Governor Cuomo has said repeatedly that his top priority is keeping and creating jobs in New York, and today's launch of Long Island's Regional Council is a major step in the right direction."

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, "Governor Cuomo is committed to rebuilding New York as an attractive place for investment and job creation, as demonstrated by the launch of these Regional Councils. Today marks a new era for Long Island and the entire state, as now local stakeholders have the tools needed to attract regionally specific investment and create new employment opportunities. I look forward to working with Regional Councils across the state to ensure we are doing everything possible to make New York's economy great again."