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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, December 20, 2017
City awarded $1.7 million for land
acquisition around Washington Lake
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
The City of Newburgh has been awarded
$1.7 million to protect its drinking-water
reservoirs at Washington Lake and
Brown’s Pond. The state funds will go to
identify and acquire land surrounding
both water bodies.
The $1,723,870 grant was awarded in a
round of state funding for 2017 through
the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic
Development Council. According to the
council, the money will be put toward
the purchase of land or perpetual
conservation easements on properties
that, if developed, would negatively impact
the water quality in both Washington
Lake and Brown’s Pond.
The properties will be located in the
towns of Newburgh and New Windsor,
where both water reservoirs are located,
said city Engineer Jason Morris.
The funds were awarded a year and
Washington Lake.
half after Washington Lake was found
to be contaminated by perfluorooctane
sulfonate (PFOS). The city switched to
using water from Brown’s Pond after
PFOS was found to have flowed into the
lake from Silver Stream and the Stewart
Air National Guard Base. The city later
began drawing water from the Catskill
Aqueduct. The city is expected to return
to using Washington Lake water sometime
next year.
The city also received $280,000 in council
funding for the Newburgh Landing Pier,
including demolition of an existing pier.
When completed, the pier will be able to
accommodate cruise ships and a large
number of pedestrians, Morris said.
“This latest round of funding is for the
final design,” said Morris, and not for
construction. “We’ll be going out for a
(request for proposals) next year.”
The project is expected to advance
the city’s Local Waterfront Revitalization
Program, the council states, and lead to
improved economic development in the
region as Newburgh is the only deep-
water port between New York City and
Albany.
Gillibrand visits Newburgh to tout high-tech education bill
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Newburgh Free
Academy last week to promote a bill to direct federal
funding to pay for training and education for jobs in high-
tech manufacturing. “These are good, middle-class jobs,”
Gillibrand said, speaking at NFA last Friday.
The 21st Century Strengthening Hands on Programs
that Cultivate Learning Approaches for Successful
Students Act allocates federal money to support
vocational schools, colleges and high schools offering
career and technical education (CTE) courses teaching
skills in high-tech fields.
If adopted, the bipartisan bill would give priority to
funding for STEAM education – science, technology,
engineering, arts and mathematics. The legislation is
designed to address a workforce skills gap affected by
advancing technology and older workers heading into
retirement, among other changes.
“These jobs are really important to our communities
and to our society, whether you’re doing… disaster relief
in Puerto Rico or working in a high-tech manufacturing
plant right here in the Hudson Valley,” Gillibrand said.
“All that work is really important and meaningful.”
“I’m speaking to manufacturers who are saying, ‘Get
me someone who is ready, willing and able to do that job
and I will invest in them to get them to where they need
to go,’” said Johnnieanne Hansen, director of workforce
development and apprenticeship program coordinator
for the Council of Industry.
These employers are offering tuition reimbursement
and apprenticeship programs, she said. “We have
educators who are saying, ‘We understand, we want to
provide that skilled labor for you,’” Hansen said.
There are many good jobs in high-tech fields in the
Hudson Valley, she explained. “We want them here,”
Hansen said. “We need them to stay here... we just need
the resources to connect the dots.”
NFA currently offers 16 CTE programs, with classes
including design and drawing for production, basic
construction, computer repair, welding, auto mechanics
and carpentry. Students are trained with technologies
such as 3D printers, laser cutters and computerized
machinery.
NFA senior and CTE program student Chase Conklin
said he plans to pursue a career in architecture. “My
future will consist of a well-paid job,” said Conklin, a
member of the NFA Concept Vehicle Racing Team, which
placed seventh in a worldwide competition in 2017.
According to the Newburgh Enlarged City School
District, almost 6,500 high school students enrolled in
CTE training programs in Orange County may benefit
from the bill. An estimated 2 million manufacturing jobs
could go unfilled due to a lack of skilled workers through
2025, Gillibrand’s office states.
To learn more about advanced-manufacturing training
and education opportunities in the Hudson Valley, visit
Gomakeit.org - call 845-565-1355 or email hi@gomakeit.
org.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (r) visited Newburgh Free
Academy last week to promote a bill she co-sponsored
to devote federal funding to training and education for
jobs in high-tech manufacturing. At left is Newburgh Free
Academy Assistant Principal Margaret Chesser.